Fragile
by Mamoru4ever
Summary: Mistake. The only word Yami has known to call himself. All his father could ever call him. Maybe it was the bruises that were a constant reminder of his own existence or the desire for his meds he so desperately needed, but maybe this life was a mistake.
1. Chapter 1

If anyone has seen the video "Fragile Trailer" on YouTube that I posted up a while ago, THIS is the story that I have finally got in order! I'm so happy! I am going to say this once and ONLY once. **This story will be rated M for violence, language, and sexual content.** Right now, it remains a "T" up until I get to those parts. Do NOT start freaking out on me when those parts come up and complain about it! I'll warn you when the parts come up anyway. Please and thank you! I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh…

* * *

_Fragile_

**Chapter One**

_**You disgust me!**_

_Stop it…_

_**Go kill yourself!**_

_No…_

_**They're watching you!**_

_God please…_

_**Useless child!**_

"STOP!" Yami's red eyes opened wide in an instant and he sat up in his bed, his heart racing and pounding against his chest, almost as if it was about to explode. _Just a dream, it's not real…_ He was panting heavily and brushed his bangs aside, away from his sweaty forehead. Another night of nightmares stopped him from getting what little sleep he actually wanted. His eyes beamed around the room, seeing the dark shadows from the moonlight move across his wall and approaching him.

_They are __**not**__ real!_

_**Die already!**_

"Leave me alone…" The soft whimpers he made while clutching his head, almost in pain, were pointless. The voices were louder than before and the shadows came to him at an alarming rate. All of it was slow, unyielding torture.

"YAMI!" The footsteps came.

More torture.

The door before him swung open, the sound of the wood hitting the wall caused him to jump in place. The man at the doorway shut off the lights, more shadows appearing on the walls and circling around Yami. His hair was practically tearing from its roots once the man grabbed him and shoved him against the wall across the room. "Stupid piece of crap! What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I-I-I…" His eyes shut at the sudden pain across his cheek that came once the man's fist came into hard contact with Yami's face. Yami fell to the ground from the delivered force.

"People are listening to your lunacy, it's two in the fucking morning and that's all you have to say? This is what I get for having a psycho kid like you, you worthless shit!"

Yami's hands shook in terror, the voices were louder.

_**Hear that?**_

_**Worthless!**_

_**PSYCHO!**_

The man walked to Yami, who was on the ground unable to do anything and stepped on his side. "Listen to me you little fuck, if I hear you scream once more… you'll regret it. Here." He dropped two pills near the boy's face. "Take them and shut up."

With those as his last words, the man left the room and slammed the door behind him. Yami sat back up and held the pills in his hands. "I am what I am… and as I am… I cannot be more." His hand rose up and took the pills into his mouth. By now, he was used to dry swallowing the heavy pills. For the first time in many nights… he might sleep.

_**Don't think you'll escape!**_

"For more would mean I am of worth. To be of worth would mean I matter." Yami muttered before stumbling back onto his feet, opening the mini-fridge next to his desk, grabbing an ice-pack inside and pressing it against his cheek. Undoubtedly, there would be a bruise.

_**We'll always find you.**_

He looked at the clock. _2:12…_ In another hour, he would get up and ready for school, clean, cook breakfast, and walk to school. The bruise was the least of his worries now. "To matter is to live."

_**He'll always find you.**_

Yami flicked on the small light at the edge of the room, the walls now being dotted by little red lights. "To live is to exist."

_**You are never safe!**_

He curled up by the light and hugged his knees to his chest, laying his chin on his arm, the ice-pack still against the bruise. "Why do I?"

() () () () () () () () () ()

Mahado opened up the newspaper while Isis, his wife, finished up with breakfast. Most mornings, the household was quiet and he usually left before the noise started upstairs. But of course, that was during the summer. This day was different. For this day… was the first day of school.

"YOU BITCH!"

Isis sighed.

"OH, GO SHOVE IT!"

Mahado placed the paper down.

"THAT'S IT! YOU'RE DEAD!"

She eyed the doorway and motioned her hand to Mahado.

"YEAH RIGHT!"

He reluctantly stood up and went to the foot of the stairs where the noise was coming to. Mahado stared at the two figures that were speedily coming into the sight. The first was a girl, with wavy brown hair and large jade eyes filled with terror at the moment while the boy chasing her had lavender eyes laced with murder and wild, short white hair. "KIDS!" He yelled and both stopped in their place. "Down here now!" This was one thing he would have to get used to in a hurry. Both came down already dressed in their school uniforms, the boy's being black pants with matching jacket and a white-button up shirt. The girl had donned a short black and white plaid skirt, white shirt, a black jacket over top and plaid bow-tie. Mahado was happy that both were having important days of school, the boy's first day of his last year and the girl's first day of high school; but this was the last thing he needed to hear, the arguing. "Okay, what's wrong now? Mana, you start."

"That's not fair!" The boy next to her shouted indignantly.

"Bakura, you'll get your chance."

Mana smiled triumphantly. "WELL, I was in the bathroom trying to fix myself up when Bakura kept banging on the door saying he needed to use it and I told him to wait then he kicked the door open and I accidentally threw my brush at him."

"Yea right, accident my ass!"

"Language Bakura. You have a different version?"

"Alright, she was taking WAY too long in the bathroom and I needed to fix myself up too. I knocked for like ten minutes then she screamed that I was harassing her so yea, I kicked the door open. She was just messing with her hair and I wasn't about to wait two hours waiting for her stupid-"

"LIAR!"

"IDIOT!"

"Kids!"

"Sorry dad…" Both muttered and he sighed.

"Mana, you shouldn't hog the bathroom. You're too old for these kinds of antics and Bakura, get a hold of that temper of yours. Just go in the kitchen and your mother will get you breakfast." Bakura and Mana shoved each other out of the way to get the first pick on food and Mahado was about to follow after them if the knock at the door hadn't stopped him. _Man, too early._

He walked over and opened it, seeing another boy wearing the same uniform as his son and sporting a bright smile. "Good morning, Detective Mizuno! And how are we on this beautiful morning?"

Mahado sighed and opened the door wider to let the boy in his house. "Morning Marik, stop kissing my ass. If you want to eat some food, you are more than welcome in the kitchen."

Marik chuckled nervously and went off to the kitchen, making a racket as he entered. "Morning Bakura! Morning Jailbait!" He waved at the two and sat down next to Bakura, grabbing a plate and setting food on it. Isis sighed and gave him some juice. She never minded Marik coming over; this was his regular routine ever since kindergarten.

"You know, it's a disturbing fact to me, as a mother, that you call my daughter jailbait."

"Well," Marik started as he gulped down some of his omelet, "it just reminds me that I am too old for her. I'm sure there's no problem with that."

"**I **have a problem with you calling her jailbait!" Bakura bellowed out and elbowed his friend between his ribs. Mana giggled as she too scarfed down her food and ignored the argument between her brother and Marik. Mahado soon joined them back at the breakfast table and they were all eating together, just talking and telling them how the first day of school should go.

() () () () () () () () () ()

"Well, sit down."

"Yes sir." Yami muttered and sat down in his seat, across from his father and ate his breakfast. There was no friendly chit-chat as his father opened up the newspaper and read it, looking at random articles for something interesting.

"Remember Yami," the boy looked up and still saw the paper in front of his father's face, "I expect nothing less than perfection."

"Yes sir."

He flipped the page. "That means perfect marks. That hasn't been a problem as of yet, and for your final year it shouldn't be. I expect valedictorian to be written on your plaque. Also, I want no… disturbances." Yami understood the hidden meaning under that word; the pills he took last night lessened the insufferable voices in his head. His father pushed a small cup toward him with two more pills. "I don't want to hear anything, so here. Take them."

"Yes sir. Thank you sir." Yami took them without incident and swallowed them. "Father, I have to go now."

The man put the paper down on the table and threw a small box toward Yami. "Then take this. For your final year, I shouldn't have you walking around. I assume they've dropped it off already, so take it and go." The boy nodded and stood up, taking his plate to the sink and washing it quickly before leaving his house. His fingers worked its way inside the box and took out the content. _A key…?_ It was a single key and Yami shrugged, not really knowing what to do with it until he saw the… new addition outside.

A black Honda Civic was parked right next to his father's silver Mercedes. That definitely wasn't there yesterday, he was sure of that. He stared back at the key and knew what his father was talking about. He wanted to smile, he truly did. His father got him a car, the wish of every boy his age. Especially a good car like this one. But there was no reason to be happy. Besides him owning a form of transportation, yesterday was still his reality.

Yami hopped into the car and rode off to school.

_One more year… one more year until I…_

() () () () () () () () () ()

Marik, Bakura, and Mana left the house and proceeded to walk to school. Mana was simply giddy about starting high school, even though most of her friends went to an entirely different school and all she had was Bakura and Marik; it was still a whole new experience. "Mana, you have to listen to me." Marik put his arm around Mana's shoulders, pulling her close to him. "High school guys are vicious; all they want is one thing and one thing only. Your hot jailbait ass. I _know_ you have already devoted yourself to me forever and evers," Bakura rolled his eyes and Mana chuckled, "but these guys are crazy. If there's any guy you can't handle, just call me."

"Oh please! No guy's gonna go after her, especially if they know she's my sister!" Mana sighed, seeing the truth in Bakura's words. At the turn of puberty, she had trouble keeping a guy's attention. It wasn't as though she was ugly or awkward, not at all. She was very pretty and social, a perfectly likable person. But her brother was too eager to pick fights with any guy that was setting his sights on her and her biggest downfall of all… her father was a detective. As in a cop. No guy wanted to be stalked by Daddy Cop. "You got your schedule down?"

"Uh-huh. I just need to know where they're all at."

"Get a map then."

"You're not helping me?"

Bakura's eye twitched in annoyance. "It's disturbing enough that I get to take a class with you, but I'm not holding your hand today! I'd lose all self-respect for myself."

"Yeah, not to mention everyone else's." Marik then fell forward due to Bakura sticking his leg out. "Jackass…" He muttered under his breath as he got up and wrapped his arm around Mana's shoulder. Mana never cared about how close Marik usually got with her; she knew it was just his style of protecting her. His flirting never bothered her, due to the fact that she developed a crush on him when he started but she soon got over him, yet that didn't stop him from his actions. "First person to avoid, Miho Nosaka."

At the mention of the girl's name, Bakura let out a shudder. "Wasn't that the girl who-" Mana started.

"Don't remind me!" Bakura shouted.

"She was! Yeah, dad almost got a restraining order out on her."

"Yup. She's a second year, but if she finds out about you man… she'll be on you like white on rice. Anything to get back to fluffy-kins." Marik teased as Bakura growled lowly and was ready to strangle him. That was a chapter of his life he didn't need to reopen, he didn't need to be reminded of his stalker. Marik continued to tell Mana who to avoid, which teachers were easy or hard, where the make-out spots were for the two of them which did earn him a slap upside his head from Bakura. At long last, they reached the school and people were already getting their class schedules. Those three already had theirs due to early registration as to avoid the long lines of the first day school. "AH! My ID picture looks perfect; I'm a sexy beast ain't I? See Mana, we sexy people have to stick together. So shoo Bakura, shoo," he said as he waved his hand at Bakura like he was brushing something unpleasant away from him.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny." Bakura pulled Marik away from his sister at last, getting annoyed by his friend. Mana looked around the campus, not recognizing a single soul. It was a weird feeling to say the least. She had always expected to go off to high school with all her friends with her, even having a couple of classes with them. But instead, they all ended up going off to a different school and Mana went off to her brother's, almost completely cut off.

While being lost in her thoughts, a crowd of people rushed by her and caused her to lose her schedule. She cried out as she eyed the paper flying around and Mana ran after it.

Yami pulled into the parking lot, parking his car effortlessly and earned some looks of jealousy when he stepped out. The looks for when _**he **_stepped out weren't the 'oh, you're so cool' but more of a 'look at the creep', but by now, he was used to it. "WAIT, COME BACK!" He heard some yelling coming in his direction in the form a girl. Yami ignored the screaming until he saw a piece of paper smacked onto his windshield. _What the…?_ He reached over and swiped it off, reading it. The class schedule for a Mana Mizuno, Year One. The girl who was yelling soon appeared in front of him, panting heavily with her hands on her knees and head bowed. "Um… I think… that's mi…" Her voice seemed to trail away as she lifted her head up and met the eyes of the man standing in front of her. _He's so…_

"Are you Mana Mizuno?"

_CUTE!_

His voice was deep as could be, skin paler compared to hers, Bakura's, and Marik's, spiky, red-tipped black hair with blond bangs, and quite possibly the most appealing thing about him were his crimson eyes. They were emotionless and cold, just like the aura surrounding him but she didn't care. "Well, are you?"

"…. uh, YEAH!" She replied at last, knocking herself back into reality. "I'm Mana. Um, I kinda lost control of my schedule. Embarrassing, ain't it?" He shrugged and handed the paper back to her. "Um, well since you now obviously know my name what's yours?"

The question didn't seem to reach his ears as he attempted to walk past her before she maneuvered in front of him. "You shouldn't go up to some random person and ask for names," he told her sharply, "its… odd."

"But it's only fair; you know my name and year. I deserve to know yours."

He nodded, seeing the logic in her nonsense. "Yami Namonaki, Year Three."

"Oh, you're in my brother's year!"

"Bakura Mizuno, right?" She nodded and waited for him to continue, hoping that he wasn't on bad terms with Bakura. "Well, have a good day."

"Wait." She muttered out and stopped him from leaving again. Now Yami was getting slightly annoyed with the girl. He had to admit, first-years were sad cases since they didn't know their way around among other things, but this was simply irritating. "Um, I don't really know where my first class is. Could you show it to me?"

Yami stared at her, his eyes as cold as ever and not letting up in the slightest. "They give out maps for a reason."

"I know, but I get lost easily. It'll only take two seconds, I swear."

Yami sighed and continued walking past Mana. Her chance for making a friend, a cute older guy friend, appeared to be in vain. "You coming?" Or not… Mana turned and caught up with him, walking right next to him in silence. As they walked by people, many of them were whispering and giving them strange looks.

"No way she's with him."

"I'd give her a day to live, maybe two."

"Can't believe she's walking with the psycho."

Mana didn't hear the comments but Yami did. He side-glanced some of the gossipers with his never-changing stare and they stopped. Yami was a scary sight, even if his devilishly good looks did catch most people's attention at first. _Oh wow, I have got to be walking with the HOTTEST guy in the school. Yami Namonaki, I have to remember to ask Marik about him. He is in their year._ Yami soon stopped in front of a room and his abrupt halt caused her to bump into him. She apologized quickly, blushing slightly for her clumsiness. "Here's your first period," he told her curtly.

"Thanks."

The silence between them intensified and quickly turned into an awkward situation. "Well… you're welcome. Tell Scarface I said hello." _Scarface?_ _Is that Bakura's nickname?_

Mana didn't get a chance to ask him as Yami kept on walking. She pouted slightly and sighed; guess it wasn't just her brother and father that deterred guys' attentions. "Um, excuse me?" She turned around and saw another girl standing behind her, obviously nervous and holding her schedule. "Is this class 1-3, for Biology?"

She peered in and saw the sign for Bio and looked at the door, 1-3. "I guess so. You're a first year, right?"

The girl giggled. "That obvious?"

"No worries." Mana extended her hand, hoping to get a friend. "I'm Mana Mizuno; I'm a first year too."

The girl smiled and shook Mana's hand. "Shizuka Kawai. Well, looks like I'm not the only one lost. This is your class too?" Mana nodded and Shizuka smiled happily. "Let's go in then."

On Mana's side, she had made a friend. Even if it wasn't a cute older guy, a friend was still a friend.

() () () () () () () () () ()

Lunch came at last. Mana rushed out of her class to go immediately find Bakura and Marik, knowing they had the same lunch as her. During her search, she managed to find Shizuka, the girl from her first period. As it turned out, they had the same lunch. "JAILBAIT!" Some people stared curiously at the teen screaming and waving his arm excitedly. "OVER HERE!"

"Marik, you're embarrassing me! Stop making an idiot out of yourself."

Marik scoffed and brushed his hair aside. "You're just jealous because I don't need to work hard to attract positive attention."

"… positive?" Bakura raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "Like that 67-year-old bag of wrinkles that got on web-cam and started mas-"

"SHUT UP!" Marik said loudly, quickly cutting him off before he could continue any further. Their summer antics weren't something he would want to repeat out-loud, especially since half the things he did could have gotten him a not-so-pleasant visit from Detective Mizuno. In no time, Mana and another girl neither recognized appeared in front of them. "Hey Jailbait, whose your friend?"

"Um, this is Shizuka Kawai, I've got first period with her and she's a first year like me. Shizuka, this is my brother Bakura and my… Marik Ishtar."

"I'm her future lover."

"I promise you Marik. I. Will. Kill you." Bakura enunciated each word carefully so that the boy next to him could understand the full extent of his intentions. Marik chuckled nervously and smiled at Shizuka, who was nevertheless enjoying the company. "Come on, I'm hungry." The three followed Bakura outside until they reached the tennis courts, an area which most people didn't go to during lunch since it was too far away. "Ah, silence. How I missed thee."

"Hey, you're a poet." Marik said cheerfully as he took out his bento and began to eat it. Bakura rolled his eyes at him, something he was doing more frequently to him. Shizuka didn't know what to make of them, Mana seemed nice enough and was just about the only friend she made so far but Bakura and Marik scared her a little. It was obvious enough that Marik was just a flirt, a very egotistical flirt at that, but he appeared to mean no harm. Bakura looked terrifying; his eyes practically screamed murder and the scar across his right eye didn't help to alleviate her fears. "So Shizuka, how's your day been so far?" Marik asked her.

She shrugged her shoulders, twirling her long red hair between her fingers nervously. "Um, I suppose it's pretty good. I honestly thought I wouldn't make any friends, I guess I was wrong."

Mana smiled to her and motioned herself toward Marik. "Marik… honey, sweetie. I need to ask you for something."

Bakura groaned. _I hate it when she does that._ "Of course, Jailbait," Marik said eagerly, "Whatcha need?"

"Alright, I met this guy today and he's a third year and since you know almost everyone in school I was just wondering if…" She could see the mischievous smirk on Marik's face growing and figured the time for giving details would be now. "What do you know about Yami Namonaki?"

Both Bakura and Marik turned their immediate attention toward Mana, not believing the name she had uttered. Their eyes widened in surprise. Marik set down his food and scratched the side of his head. "Wh-Where did you meet him?"

"At the parking lot, my schedule flew away and he caught it and even helped me find my first class."

"Was that the cute guy who was walking away?" Shizuka added while Mana nodded excitedly, both girls giggling in embarrassment.

Bakura and Marik looked over at one another, seeming to converse with their eyes. "Some personal advice, stay away from him." Bakura uttered sharply.

Marik nodded accordingly and relayed his attention to Mana, who was more confused by the second from the two. "The dude is psycho with a capital **S**." Shizuka opened her mouth to correct Marik but Mana shook her head to stop her. "Listen to Bakura, both of you. Hell, Bakura," Marik hit his friend's arm as a convincing measure, "tell them what he did."

"What'd he do?" Shizuka asked, now very curious.

Bakura groaned and cocked his head to the side, both girls now in plain view. "During our first year, he went postal. It was something out of _One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest_, that noteworthy. I was sitting behind him in the class when his freak-show started. He was mumbling and shaking, really annoying too. Then out of nowhere, he stood up and started screaming '**Shut up! They're watching! They're trying to kill me,**' raving like an absolute lunatic!" Bakura took a quick bite out of his sandwich and could easily see that Mana and Shizuka were very engrossed in his story. "I'm telling you, it was freaky. Then the teacher tried to calm him down and Yami did the only thing I consider cool; he punched the sucker across the face and ran out screaming. I think he even grabbed some of the scalpels and started cutting at his skin, right?" Marik shrugged his shoulders, not really knowing the answer to that. "No one hears from him and then returns a couple of weeks later, acting real nervous-like."

Mana started, fascinated by the story. From what Bakura had just conveyed, Yami wasn't all there or even half-way there. But that didn't sound like the guy she had met earlier, not even close. Yami appeared cool, calm and collected; and he wasn't lacking in appearances. No doubt though, it wasn't a big concern to her right now. The chances of her meeting up with Yami again were slim to none. "Wow," Shizuka started as she opened up a box of Pocky and started eating them, "it's always the cute guys that have problems." She lamented sadly.

"What about me?" Marik pointed to himself, a haughty air surrounded him.

Mana and Bakura glanced at the other and chuckled. "**Exactly**." They replied at the same time and Shizuka giggled, seeing that the siblings shared the same train of thought. Marik narrowed his eyes and curled up into a corner, a raincloud almost visible on the top of his head. _They're cruel… all of them…_

() () () () () () () () () ()

Yami though, didn't like to spend lunch outside. He spent his extra time in the library, trying to study and finish off homework which was already delivered on the first day. By the tone of the first bell, he put his stuff back into his bag and walked over to his third period which happened to be Trig. If he was like the other third years, he would have taken Stats for the easy A but he wasn't allowed to take the easy way out. That was never an option. Yami walked off to his Trig class and entered, not surprised that he was the first person there. Looking around, he realized the seat to stay away from was the middle seat in the front and the most secluded was the one in the back, next to the window.

His perfect seat.

The bag he held slumped off his shoulders and was thrown onto the desk lazily as Yami took his seat. _One more period after this._ Taking the opportunity of no one else being in the class, he took out his phone quickly seeing he had a message from his dad.

_**Gonna be home late. Just eat something in the fridge and your pills will be in the kitchen.**_

Now that he was in school, Yami had an image to uphold and his father wouldn't have him making a scene over his… problems. Yami started to hear loud talking on the outside and quickly put his phone away.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun!"

"How is it fun to have your little sister in the same math class?"

"Maybe she can tutor you."

"Marik, I will murder you!"

"You say that so much it's lost all meaning." Yami took his attention off the door the moment he saw who had entered; Bakura Mizuno and Mana… that annoying first-year from earlier. _Hm, I hadn't pegged her to be that smart._ "Have fun you two!" Marik waved off as he decided to escort Shizuka to her next class since she too, had no sense of direction.

Mana's eyes widened in surprise as she saw Yami Namonaki, the cute third-year who had reluctantly helped her with finding her class, was in the same period as her. She was about to walk over to him when Bakura grabbed her by the wrist, shaking his head in disapproval. The message in his eyes was all too clear: _Stay away._ As Bakura threw his backpack onto the nearest desk, he released his hold on his sister and she immediately went to Yami. Bakura tried to get her but was unsuccessful as she took the seat right next to the deranged teen. "Guess we meet again." Mana said happily.

"Indeed." Instantly, it would appear the bored tone in his voice would give Mana the hint that he would have preferred to be left alone. Alas, she did _not_ get the hint.

"I don't know if I thanked you for helping me this morning, but thanks again I guess. I managed to find my second period class on my own and during lunch I even found my other classes. Speaking of lunch, where do you sit? I didn't see you at all. Well, then again Bakura and Marik like eating next to the tennis courts for the weirdest reasons. I mean, it's so far away from everyone! Even a far walk from the classes, but it's a pretty quiet area..." As Mana continued to gab on, jumping from subject to subject, Yami stared at her with contempt. The girl hadn't crossed his mind since he left her at her class as there was no reason for him to remember a pebble in his shoe. There was no way he could be stuck in the seat next to her, and obviously he wasn't going to rely on Bakura to relieve the stress of having to listen to the girl. _Hm… if I stick a cardboard cutout of myself here, I wonder if she would keep talking?_ "… and it turns out I'm not the only first-year who can't find my way around. Oh gosh, I think I'm the only first-year in this period. Damn, that's kinda awkward, ain't it?"

Yami nodded subtly and looked on ahead as the bell rang and the teacher finally appeared in the class, the first announcement he made was the seats they chose was to become the seating chart and their seats for the remainder of the term. Mana grinned in excitement for she was going to be sitting next to a cute third-year, a sudden thought crossing her mind of him tutoring her if she needed help. _That's asking too much…_ Yami though... was still carrying his bored expression, yet inside he was boiling.

_There has got to be someplace else! I cannot sit next to this… this… annoyance for the whole term!_ In the short time that he knew the girl, the only thing he knew about her was that she was hyper-active and talkative. Two qualities he hated.

() () () () () () () () () ()

Fourth period came and went, the last bell ringing and dismissing the students. Mana picked up her bag and walked out of the class with the rest of the crowds, taking out her phone to check her recent text from Marik.

_**Hey sexy, meet us bi da gatez. **_

Mana reached the end of the halls and found someone. "Yami!" She screamed out and ran toward him once she saw that he had stopped in his place. "Hey, so how was the rest of your day?" She inquired, seeing the same glare in his eyes.

"Good."

"That's good… hey, what's your first period class?" Yami narrowed his eyes, the closest he came to showing emotion all day. He was losing his perfect control, though Mana couldn't see it. "I mean, it's only fair since you know mine and all that."

Yami stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowed and glared with malice. He turned sharply to face the girl who still carried on her cheerful expression. "It is fair, but I will not tell you. I can see you're just trying to be nice and make friends, _**don't**_. I am **not** interested in becoming friends with you in any way, shape, or form. Leave me alone."

Mana's optimism faded away as his words suck in. She nodded her head in silence though Yami didn't notice for he once again walked away from her. _Maybe I'm the repellent… _Her legs began to move on their own to the school-gates where she found Bakura and Marik waited not-too-patiently. "Well finally! I thought you got lost!" Bakura said rudely.

"How do you even get lost? Just follow the crowd of eager people and… you okay?" Marik asked with concern in his eyes once he realized that Mana wasn't talking back to him and Bakura.

She nodded her head and laughed nervously. "Oh, I'm fine! I was just thinking about something is all. Come on, I wanna eat." Mana jumped gleefully and Marik wrapped his arm around her frame, his hand gripping her shoulder tightly. The trio began their journey back to the Mizuno house where there would undoubtedly be plenty of food for them to chow down on.

"So anything interesting happen?" Marik asked, wanting to hear every tiny detail of Mana's first day while he wasn't there. "Did any of the guys hit on you? 'Cause if they did and you weren't comfortable with them, I swear I'll-"

"Oh shut up!" Bakura interrupted. "If you were to even pick a fight with anyone, it only ends in disaster. For you!" Bakura crossed his arms over his head as he eyed Mana with a mocking sneer. "Oh Mana! How's your new bestest friend?"

"Friend? What friend?" She asked questionably, not noticing her brother's sarcasm.

He snickered. "You know, the Psycho in Trig. The guy you are sitting next to." Marik's eye twitched in surprise at what Bakura had just said. Mana's reaction wasn't all that appealing as well. A scowl appeared on her normally happy face, her eyes gleaming with the desire to club her brother's head with her bag. "You guys exchange numbers yet? You seemed to be pretty chatty with him earlier."

"I am **not **giving my number to that creep!"

Marik almost wanted to laugh at the oh so strict tone in Mana's voice. It almost reminded him of a woman scorned and he almost wanted to know what had made her so bad. "Jailbait, you trust me right? Tell me, what's bugging ya?"

Mana glanced over at Marik and smiled which made another trait that usually annoyed Bakura to no end. Her expression changed continuously when talking to both him and Bakura. "As much as I hate to admit it, Bakura was right. Yami Namonaki isn't worth my time. I tried to be nice and he was being a dick."

In an effort to change Mana's bad mood, Marik decided to change the subject. "Bakura! You got food at your house, right? I'm hungry and I think I'm in the mood for-"

"You're not eating my goddamn food! I **know** you have food at your own house, stop stealing mine!"

Instantly, Bakura and Marik started in on one of their more famous arguments which were started over nothing and involved everything. Mana glanced over and saw a black car zoom by them and recognized the driver. _I was only trying to be nice; he didn't have to be mean like that. Jerk…_

() () () () () () () () () ()

Yami drove on, a quick side glance seeing Mana with two guys he acknowledged as Marik Ishtar and Bakura Mizuno, or Scarface. From his brief look, Marik had his arm around Mana who wasn't objecting. _Hm, Marik should keep his girlfriend on a tighter leash and teach her not to bother people!_ He still couldn't believe that he was stuck next to her for an entire term.

_A whole term…_

Her constant talking…

_A __**whole**__ term…!_

Along with that cheerful smile of hers…

_A __**whole GODDAMN **__term!_

"Annoying!" For only one day he had known the girl, yet already he resented her. _One period though, I don't have to talk to her at all. It's not __**that **__bad…_ He repeated the line over in his mind, hoping he would believe it sooner rather than later. However, as he reached his house the thought of school and the girl were the farthest thoughts in his mind. Hesitantly, Yami unlocked the door and stepped inside the cold empty two-story house. It wasn't home; home was never cold like this.

Nor was it anything but an impenetrable prison, only missing the steel bars which caged him in. Yami sighed heavily and set his bag down against the closest table. His feet dragged him up the stairs to his bathroom and he opened up the medicine cabinet, grabbing a small container. He opened it and pulled out a wipe, rubbing over his cheek delicately as to remove the make-up he applied earlier to it.

He threw the wipe to the trash and stared at his reflection, his eyes more hollow as the sheer object of his attention was the purple stain that marred against his skin. Yami's bars weren't steel and weren't over the windows and doors. Not even close.

* * *

Yes, I know… I'm depressing as hell. And I kept going at this until like… 11:30 pm. I swear, I probably wouldn't have gotten this up had it not been for an intense sugar rush. Tell me how I did, review please! XD


	2. Chapter 2

Oh wow, there are actually people reading this! I'm kinda surprised… Well, I hope I didn't take too long with updating.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

The first week went by quicker than Mana had first thought, even if it was relatively boring and only filled with classroom procedures and work that was as easy as a cheap date but of course that was not a problem. First period was boring, the safety lab was a complete joke and everyone, including Mana, wondered why they needed to review the lab safety rules even though they had already been through them in every science class since middle school. Fortunately, Mana had paired up with Shizuka so at least she could talk for the remainder of class. "Mana, you busy this weekend?"

"I don't think so, why?"

Shizuka shrugged her shoulders as she fiddled her with her hair as usual. "Well, my mom's driving me up to Domino this weekend so I can see my older brother and while I'm there I wanted to do some shopping. But my brother hates that so…" Her voice trailed off as she hoped Mana would understand the rest of what she had intended.

Mana titled her head to the side, running through her plans for the weekend in mind. The only thing she knew for sure was that Bakura would be off with Marik somewhere looking for trouble and both parents would be working. _Being alone in the house…_ Going off to Domino was only a three hour drive away and it was for shopping; already it sounded better than spending a day bored at her house doing nothing but staring at the wall and wondering what different shapes she could find. "For Saturday or Sunday?"

"Saturday."

She nodded happily. "I'll be glad to go! I just gotta ask my parents first…" Mana peered over her shoulder and Shizuka's as well. "Cover me, will ya?" She whispered as she took out her phone and sent a message to her mother since her father would only wonder why she was sending texts during school hours. Shizuka coughed lowly as a signal that her cover was about to be blown, which it wasn't just at the nick of time.

The door to the classroom opened loudly, catching some of the attention of the students, mostly the girls for it was a rather good-looking student coming in. Not just any though, a third-year whom Mana regrettably knew. "Sensei, you need these forms filled out." His deep voice caused the girls to squeal silently, as if his looks weren't doing that enough.

"Thank you Yami." The teacher said as he took the forms and began ruffling through his desk, trying to find another set of papers he needed to hand over to Yami. The teen stood still, with the same bored glare he had held from the first day.

As it turned out, Mana found out for herself what his first period was. He was a science T.A. and was mostly running around the science lab passing out the forms the teachers needed, getting mail and would soon end up grading most of the student's papers. "Is he really a jerk? I mean, maybe he was having a bad day."

"Yeah, you could be right. I mean, first day of school means less sleep for everyone. Maybe he was groggy." _If so, he should have at least apologized for being so rude to me!_ Her phone started buzzing in her hand and she flipped it over, seeing the message from her mom.

_**You can go. Don't text during school!**_

Mana laughed lowly and was ready to reply back before her phone was snatched out of her hand. Both she and Shizuka looked up to see not the teacher holding it, but Yami himself grasping the phone tightly in his clutches. "No phones out during school. Even the most dim-witted of first-years know that rule." His voice was as calm as ever and Mana could almost hint the contempt in his voice for her.

"Give it back!" Mana tried to reach over to grab her phone back but Yami turned and handed it to the teacher. Now all that was left was for her to get trouble for texting her mother during class, though that wasn't a believable story, since the truth usually isn't. The teacher finally found the set to give to Yami who gladly took them. He made his way back to the door, passing Mana and taking a moment to stop as to give her some advice she desperately needed.

"Cover better." He whispered before leaving and Mana fumed. _That… that… THAT! _

"I'm guessing he was in a bad mood… just maybe?" Shizuka said, chuckling nervously and hoping Mana wasn't going to run after Yami for what he had just done.

Mana's fingers tapped irritably against the lab tables, almost wanting to throttle someone… something… in fact, she would have taken anything if it meant she could imagine it as Yami Namonaki. "Bad day my ass! He chose the wrong girl to make an enemy! He'll regret making Mana Mizuno an enemy, spurning my niceness like that and... oh, forget it! He's not worth my time!" Her final resolve was engraved in stone across her forehead. So far, Yami hadn't spoken to her since the first day but this happened to be the exception. If he wasn't going to be nice, then neither was she.

() () () () () () () () () ()

"So let me get this straight. You were texting mom during class."

"Yup."

"And then psycho showed up and took your phone."

"Uh-huh."

"And now you hate him."

"Yes."

Bakura stared at her in absolute boredom as he lay down on his chest, his cheek resting upon his palm while carrying a glazed look in his eyes as though he were ready to fall dead asleep in his very spot. "One word Mana: Tough." Her jaw dropped in complete shock. "I told you not to go near him but no! You never listen to me! As far as I'm concerned, this is your reward for your stupidity. Maybe next time you'll grow some common sense in that hormone-infested-brain of yours." Bakura grinned at his sister's fuming expression; again he had said something she didn't want to hear.

Mana was about to yell back at him before thinking about what he said, was it true? Why was she continuing to bring up the topic of Yami Namonaki if she hated him so much? She didn't like him, there was nothing to like besides his physical appearance. Maybe she was mad at him, over what though? His rude demeanor? Then again, he could be rude all he wanted. "… fine." She wasn't going to care. If he was going to be the rude shock of the century, then that was his problem. Mana didn't need to include his problems which were none of her concern. Quickly trying to get her mind off the brooding topic, Mana stared down at her bag and rummaged through it. She pulled out her Literature folder, seeing some of the recommended reading and sighed; she had to get started eventually, even if it did take her almost two weeks to read a regular-sized classic. "Bakura, can you do me a favor?"

"Depends entirely on if it involves me moving from a very comfortable spot." He said flatly.

"Come with me to the library."

The boy scowled and shook his head. "That involves moving. And besides, what's wrong with going by yourself?"

"I don't wanna!"

"Tough!" Bakura exclaimed as _his_ final resolve and pulled out his bento, pulling some meat out and practically tearing it apart with his teeth.

Mana narrowed her eyes; sometimes she believed Bakura had to have been raised by wolves. No normal person ate like he did; Bakura was like a giant predator enjoying his kill of the day. Just. **Not**. Normal. Mana laid down next to her brother and tried to steal some of his food, which was a mistake since Bakura was a predator. His food was his treasure and he wasn't about to allow even his own sister take it. Another one of their quarrels was to begin, but it was stopped in time. "Bakura! Don't fight with my lover!" Both siblings felt the tension lessen as soon as Marik's voice was audible. They turned and saw him approaching with Shizuka; apparently they were approaching with food. The lunch lines took them a little longer to get through than usual. "Hey Jailbait, I brought you a brownie. No nuts and extra chocolate chunks too, your favorite." The words of the description of the dessert were music to Mana's ears as he held it to her, laying the plate with the sweet gently on her palm.

"Marik, you're awesome!" The blond smirked as he felt a course of confidence surge through his veins. "Can you do me a favor since my _**mean**_ brother won't?" Mana made an extra emphasis on her portrayal of her dear brother, who wasn't really caring as he was making a trade with Shizuka on their lunches.

"Of course, whatcha need?" Mana didn't need to say a single word as she gripped his wrist and began to drag him out of the tennis courts toward the other buildings. "Where are we going?"

"The library!"

Marik groaned. When the word _favor_ came out of Mana's mouth, he was hoping for different things. Especially since he had given her a treat, her favorite dessert, all he got was to be dragged. "You've got to be kidding! You couldn't take Shizuka? And come on, if you wanted to make-out with me there are better places than the library, too many teachers!"

() () () () () () () () () ()

Mana wandered inside the building, alone. Marik refused to enter, on account that he was _allergic_ to books. Either that or he wasn't very welcomed since he had caused problems for the librarian in the previous years and didn't want to give them an excuse to make him do some ridiculous errand out of sheer revenge. So far, she had only been there to check out her textbooks but now she needed her reading. All she wanted was something interesting, but it had to be a classic. That was all that was required.

Almost in a hurry, she was searching for a stool in the aisle to reach the desired book. It wasn't on the top shelf, but it was further from her reach than she would have liked. No stool in sight. _Damn it…_ Mana raised her arm up and stood on her tip-toes, silently wishing that Marik would overcome his fear of libraries and enter, all in the hopes of achieving her book. Now Mana tried to extend her reach more, standing more on the end of her toes, almost touching the hardcover binding until it was snatched away from her path. She smiled; thinking only one person would help her in her time of need. "Marik, you're an ange- …"

"Marik?" The deep voice muttered as he turned the book over, glancing slightly at the title and back to Mana. "Angel?" He pressed his other hand to the shelves, being careful not to cause the books to fall over. "I hadn't pictured that to be a word to describe him, nor did I picture you to be reading Bram Stoker's _Dracula _of all things."

The complete disdain for her was there, he wasn't even hiding it in anyway. "Yami, give it to me now." Mana proclaimed lowly in a lethal voice, though Yami did not seem to be moved.

"You do realize the vampires in this book eat humans, not sleep with them. That they burn in the sun, not sparkle. You know that, right?"

_Why is he continuously picking on me?_ Mana did not look amused. "You already took my phone, what now? I don't carry anything else that is against school rules. I'm just curious; do you do this to all first years or just me?"

"Don't flatter yourself." Yami almost chuckled at the girl for her vanity; truly she deserved to hang around Bakura and Marik. "It is not my fault you cannot find your way around the rules. Don't blame me for your blunders." Mana stepped forward sharply and attempted to snatch the book from Yami's clutches, until he raised up his arm much too high above her head. "Listen, this may be the best advice you ever receive. After school, just go pick up your phone. Anything confiscated by the TA's doesn't get the student into trouble, only the teachers have that sort of power. I haven't done you wrong." He handed the book calmly to her and Mana held onto it, making sure he wasn't going to try and grab it again. As she looked up, Yami already had his back turned to her and was walking away.

Mana stared back at her book, not knowing what to make of the odd third-year. He didn't seem to be a psycho, like Bakura had said. Moody without a doubt, but psycho seemed to be too strong of a word.

() () () () () () () () () ()

School had ended quicker than Yami would have believed which meant the weekend was here. Normally, everyone would be leaping with joy for the first week of school was done and over with. The short relaxation time could begin. But Yami hated the weekends.

He'd rather be in school, with no one paying the slightest bit of attention to him than at home where the attention wasn't split up. All that occupied the large house was himself and his father. Yami grabbed a bag of chips and a strawberry-flavored Ramuné as his snack, probably the most he would eat for his stomach felt incredibly uneasy. As Yami made his way up the stairs to his room, he uncapped the plastic top of the Ramuné and pressed down on the cap, the marble pushed down at last and the drink was accessible. _I doubt there's anything on TV right now; I suppose I could just sleep for a while._

He figured his father would just bring something to eat, Friday meant his father worked too late and came home later than usual. When this happened, it usually meant that he would leave him alone for the day or the weekend sometimes although Yami wished he didn't do that.

Being left alone was a plus, but not the effects of it.

Yami sighed heavily as he set himself gently on the bed, grasping onto his side tightly while hissing in pain. His side was still in agony over what had happened earlier in the week and walking around with his straight-laced face was more of an effort than it was worth.

His phone buzzed and he sneered at it. It didn't make sense why his father had bought him the damn thing, he didn't really talk to anyone nor did he want to. He supposed it was just another way to keep tabs on him, as if he didn't have enough of them. "Hello?"

"_Yami, I'm bringing some friends over for dinner. Go make something good and be on your best behavior. Remember if you don't._"

The fatal tone at the end made Yami cringe and his eyes softened; he could almost feel his father's eyes piercing straight through him. Like Yami, his father had red eyes but his… his weren't the same. "Yes sir." The teen's voice was hardly audible as he gripped the phone tighter. His father hung up on him instantly and Yami threw the phone across the room, watching it hit the wall and the battery fall out.

_Best behavior?_ Yami bit his bottom lip sharply, hard enough to cut through the skin and for his blood to drip down. _HA!_ _Like that ever mattered before!_ Another way for his father to be terribly _nice_ to him, showing him off to his friends, bragging about his accomplishments all the while Yami had to smile. Force himself to be happy, the task being more impossible by the day.

_I wonder what won't be perfect tonight._

It was no longer a question of 'what not to mess up' but of 'how long will the punishment be'.

_Why do I bother anymore?_

() () () () () () () () () ()

Saturday came.

Early morning, Mana rose and dressed up in a pink and black striped shirt with a short, dark blue skirt, long brown socks and black shoes. Ultimately, she looked good and wanted to appear so, if she happened to see any cute guys in Domino. _Eh, with my luck it's not happening._ She didn't bother to have breakfast as she figured they would eat when they got there.

Mana texted Shizuka, asking her when she was coming and of course she replied immediately saying they were on their way, though gave no specific time. To kill time, Mana decided to call someone. Someone who would actually be up at seven in the morning. "_Hello?_"

"Hi Marik! What's up?"

A yawn was heard. "_My roof. Do you realize how early it is? I mean, I coulda been sleeping right now._"

Mana giggled and laid down on her couch. "Well obviously you're not."

He sighed deeply and she could tell he was defeated. "_So what are you doing up?_"

"I'm waiting for Shizuka to come pick me up. We're going over to Domino."

"_Oh… what for?_"

"Well, she was going to visit her brother and asked me to come so we can do some shopping and-"

"_Brother?_" Mana had said the magic word. "_Like older or younger? You know what, don't answer._" Mana listened intently to Marik's rampage of how Mana shouldn't trust herself around the guy, even if he was Shizuka's brother. Often times Mana had wondered who was more protective of her, Bakura or Marik. Both had different methods, Marik's being more subtle while Bakura was upfront and violent but it was the end result that mattered."_Mana, are you listening to me?_"

"Of course!"

"_And make sure you go to this one restaurant, Eden. My sister takes me there when I go see her and it has the best food! I might be exaggerating but that's not the point. Just go there._"

"I shall then." Mana peered through the curtains and saw a car pulling up next to her house. "Gotta go, Shizuka's here. Bye-bye now."

"_See ya Jailbait._"

() () () () () () () () () ()

During their three hour drive to Domino City, Shizuka talked to Mana all about her brother. How much of a great guy he was, incredibly nice and friendly even though he had a rough side to him. And he was only a year older than her. "Mom," Shizuka started as her mother pulled in front of a mall, "pick us up at 5:30, we'll see you in a bit." Both exited the car and her mother drove away.

"Oi, Shizuka!" A voice called out at the entrance and she turned, her eyes lighting up in an instant.

"Onii-chan!" Shizuka ran as fast as she could to the guy and jumped on him. He hugged her tightly and spun her around, the girl squealing in excitement. "Onii-chan, I've missed you!"

The blond laughed and set her down. "I missed ya too, and ya haven't answered my calls." He playfully tapped her head and she giggled. Mana smiled; she remembered when Bakura and her were like that. The blond teen looked up and finally noticed the guest that his sister had brought. "Eh, who's this?"

Mana stepped up and extended her arm toward him, sporting a cheerful smile. "Mana Mizuno."

He nodded and shook her hand. "Katsuya Jounouchi, the handsome and awesome older brother of Shizuka." Jounouchi's voice was nothing but confidence vibrating through and Mana couldn't help but think that he and Marik would get along. "Come on, Honda's tagging along with us too, but the jerk's inside. Shizuka, don't get near him." He warned her lowly as Shizuka gripped onto her brother's arm and Mana walked alongside the girl. "Eh so Mana, you in the same class or something?"

Mana nodded. "Yup. We're in the same year and have first period together, that's where we met. Just curious, what year are you in?"

"Second."

"Onii-chan doesn't look his age, right?" Shizuka added and Mana had to agree. She almost would have guess he was in college already. "It doesn't matter though, his attitude usually makes up for it."

Jounouchi chuckled and removed his arm from his grip. "Whatcha trying to say?"

"Nothing at all, just repeating what Honda told me."

_Honda… _Jounouchi could only guess what his friend had said to his little sister, hell he could have said anything ranging from complete innocent chit-chat involving ducks to near phone-sex and he would still want to strangle him for talking to his little sister. "Um, sorry for asking but who's Honda?" Mana asked timidly, she hated not knowing who the person was when a conversation was brought up.

As they entered the mall, Jounouchi pointed ahead to a guy sitting on the bench alone who stood up abruptly once he saw them. Though Mana didn't really notice as she took a look around the mall, surprised by how big it was. From the last time she was there, she was pretty sure that there weren't as many shops as there were now.

() () () () () () () () () ()

From what she gathered at the hour or two she had been wandering around with Jounouchi, Honda and Shizuka, they seemed to be on really good terms. In fact, it sort of scared her how much it reminded her of Bakura, Marik and herself. Honda was constantly flirting with Shizuka while Jounouchi would only threaten to kill him, though he did attempt to strangle him at one point when he was wiping away a ketchup stain from the corner of Shizuka's mouth.

Yup, it was definitely Bakura and Marik.

"Oi, Jounouchi! I'm hungry!"

"You're telling me why?"

"Onii-chan, don't be so mean to Honda." Shizuka uttered as she pulled on her brother's arm. "Besides, I'm hungry too."

Jounouchi rubbed the back of his head, thinking about his own growling stomach. "Well," he started in a defeated tone, "where do you guys wanna eat? Though everyone has to pitch in, I'm a little low on money."

A sudden idea into Mana's mind. "Um, I don't know if you guys know this place, but it was suggested to me." The three listened attentively as they continued walking around, though now they were no longer in the mall but walking around aimlessly the downtown area. "I think it was called Eden?"

The two boys' faces lit up as they could practically feel the aroma of delicious food spiking their senses and filling them up. "A little pricey…" Honda began to contemplate.

"A little fancy…" Jounouchi seemed to be finishing his thought but both turned to each other and nodded after what appeared to be careful consideration, or the fact that they were mostly listening to their stomachs, they made their choice.

"**Eden it is!**" They cheered happily and began to trek their way to the restaurant which wasn't too far away from the area they were at. Mana wanted to know what kind of food was served there. Knowing Marik, he was good with mostly foreign food though she wasn't sure what kind of cuisine his sister was in. Then again, Jounouchi and Honda struck her as the type to eat almost anything… at least, she believed it was almost.

Soon, they arrived at the restaurant and Mana could very much see that the appearance of the place was very nice. As they walked in, Jounouchi and Honda were still wrapped in some conversation while the waitress was directing them to their seats; fortunately there were not many people there so they found pretty good seats. Honda too looked around and his eyes went wide at the sight he was seeing. "Oi, Jounouchi!" He elbowed his buddy who wasn't too pleased.

"What?"

Honda tilted his head slightly to his left, eyeing the far corner. "Lookie who's here."

Jounouchi sighed heavily and looked in the same direction that Honda was aiming to. At a smaller table next to a rather large window, there was a boy with wild, spiky, red, black and blond hair sitting very patiently and looking at his menu and across from him was a small handbag only a girl would carry. "Oh… crap." Jounouchi's voice was softer as him and Honda eyed each other, wondering about their next move.

"Should we leave?" Honda asked lowly.

The blond shook his head. "Nope, are we interrupting them?"

"No, bu-"

"Are we _gonna_ interrupt them?"

"Again, no. Bu-"

"Exactly!"

Shizuka stared at her brother and Honda, wondering why they were involved in an intense, whispered conversation that was hardly _not_ audible. Mana though wasn't focused on them since she figured it was just their way of talking. The duo joined the girls back at the table and already Jounouchi and Honda were tearing themselves apart at what dish to order. From the look on their faces, they wanted to order everything. Neither of them carried that much money on them, so it wasn't possible. Mana glanced over at the side to see if a server was going to take their orders soon when she too saw the same boy at the window, looking rather cheerful. _Is that… Yami?_

Somehow… from the distance… it looked like him. The hair was a dead give-away, it _**had**_ to be him. Though it seemed kinda off, she was sure there was a bit less blond but it was a bit far from her line of sight. _Wow, he actually looks… nice. Almost… not in a constant bad mood. Maybe he's only like that at school._ Her thoughts were making perfect sense to her; most people did act different at school than they did everywhere else. Mana almost wanted to go over there and say hi before a girl appeared at the table, a very pretty girl at that. Though it was a little farther to get a perfect view, the girl had short, very light brown hair, light skin and seemed to be older.

She couldn't hear what they were saying but from how chatty they turned out to be, it looked like a date. _Yami… has a girlfriend? Guess he really isn't a jerk after all._ She abandoned her plan to say hello to him, it would be rude to intrude on his date.

() () () () () () () () () ()

_Okay, I can handle this..._

_**Are you trying to hide?**_

_I can handle it…_

_**Hiding does no good.**_

_I can handle it!_

Yami balled his hands into a fist, feeling the need to hit something but overcame it. According to his father, Friday dinner wasn't set to his standards. The punishment was typical. The stern lecture, probably a couple of slaps or punches to the face, and the one thing Yami could never stand; the suppression of his medication.

Saturday wasn't too bad; he didn't leave the house per usual and nothing happened.

Sunday, the voices began their slow, imminent return but were weak. His mood slowly declined as well. Instead of being calm, he was irritable and a little jumpy, nothing he could handle.

Monday was getting frustrating. The voices were getting louder, Yami could swear he was imagining things such as how many people were staring at him, or were they staring at him? He couldn't tell, were they hiding it? Why would they hide such a detail? _Just until the end of the day!_ Yami repeated in his mind as to calm himself down, hoping to lower his bottled-up anger and lower his anxiety. It was the third day and already he was ready to bash in some skulls.

Third period came and Yami's fingers tapped impatiently against the desktop. He eyed the clock several times; almost believing that time was working against him. _No, time's not against me._

_**Yes, it is.**_

_Shut up!_ Of one thing he was glad for, he sat in the back and no one noticed him. At least… he wished. "Yami." The voice next to him was none other than Mana, who was sporting a smile. _Fuck! Leave me alone girl! _"Are you okay? You seem a little… jittery."

"I'm peachy-keen." He whispered through gritted teeth.

"Oh, good then." Mana brushed it aside and sat down in her seat. Throughout the lesson, she glanced at him a couple of times and was seeing emotion in his eyes. It wasn't a cold, empty worm-hole but it was… something else. He seemed different. The messy appearance of the wrinkly and unkempt clothes, slightly disheveled hair, and shaky skin to match his rushed breathing and panicked eyes, Yami wasn't his usual self. Mana tried to keep her attention on the lesson, which was pretty difficult considering the lesson was already too hard in just her second week.

_**She's watching you…**_

Yami tried to ignore the voice sneaking along the back of his head, creeping deeper into his skull.

_**She's watching you…**_

He grabbed his notebook and was attempting to concentrate on other matters. Anything to escape from the prison of his mind for at least a minute or so. It worked for a little while, until the lesson stopped and the students were free to work on their homework.

"Mana!" Bakura cried from across the room. "Do you get it?"

Mana knew he meant the lesson and nodded slowly, trying to lie as best she could. _He's probably gonna mock me for even signing up for this class, I don't blame him..._ Deciding that the latest Trig assignment was too difficult for her to even try, she settled on talking. Who better to choose? "Hey Yami, so how was your weekend?"

"Good." He figured if his responses were short and to the point, she would leave him alone.

"You know, I was in Domino this weekend and I was over at this one restaurant Eden, which has some really awesome food. I mean… usually when Marik recommends a place, I have completely low expectations." _Goddamn it, is the day over yet?_

_**Not nearly enough…**_

The voice taunted him more.

Yami shrugged his shoulders and fixated his gaze upon the textbook, barely listening to what the girl was saying. "So was she your girlfriend?"

Now though, he was listening. Intently. "My… what?"

Mana figured this was her chance to make nice with him, maybe even break the glacier between them and become on good terms with one another. "I know, kinda rude and all but I saw you there with this one girl and I was just wondering if she was your girlfriend. If so, she's really pretty and she looks a little older. I'm guessing she lives in Domino City, right?" Yami stared at her as Mana continued her rampage of questions. _What is she talking about?_

_**She's watching you…**_

_Hardly…_ Yami now began his mental argument. _I never go to Domino, no reason to._

_**She wants you in trouble.**_

_What?_

_**Making lies about you…**_

Yami's heart slowly started to beat faster as the voice increased.

_**Only to make you second-guess yourself…**_

"I guess that's why you were bothered by me talking, you must've thought I was flirting with you! Oh, I'm sorry for giving you that impression, so silly!"

Yami gripped onto the roots of his hair, ready to pull them out from the constant talking. Why did he have to be there?

_**Don't you-**_

"Shut up…" Yami muttered. Mana stopped talking and looked at Yami, and for the first time she could see the pain splattered across his face. _Why is he…?_ "Just shut up! Do you ever stop?" He slammed his fists on the desk, causing some people to turn at the raised voice and sudden noise.

Mana was about to ask what was wrong before Yami grabbed his bag and ran out of the class, ignoring the teacher who was screeching for him to return this very moment. "What…?" She was thoroughly confused now. Did he want her to be quiet that badly?

Why?

_I know I talk a lot but… was I __**that**__ bad?_

What had she done to make him so mad?

_Oh perhaps-_

The sudden tone of the bell announcing class had ended knocked her away from her train of thought. "Mana, you okay?" Bakura said as he came over. However, Mana was barely paying attention as she nodded and only just started to put her stuff away. "You know, if you beg enough, you might be able to get a seat closer to the front."

Bakura handed her the nearly forgotten textbook that was lying atop her desk. "Well, um…"

"I'm gonna tell ya again, sitting next to the psycho is bad enough. He's lucky he only told you to shut up, another second and he'd be dead." Bakura carried on his determined face, the scenario already becoming clear in his mind. He walked up the door and watched his sister lagging behind. "I'll walk you to class, come on."

() () () () () () () () () ()

He needed to get away.

Somewhere.

Anywhere.

Yami didn't bother to get a note from the nurse or any other teacher to leave. What would be his excuse? No meds for the weekend caused voices in his head. The only thing that would accomplish would be a sure phone-call to his dad.

He didn't need that.

The car came to a sudden halt as he reached his driveway, not bothering to park correctly and ran inside the house. "Goddamn it!" He would surely in trouble at school. Detention at the most and probably get a finger-wagging lecture from the teacher, although he wouldn't really have to listen. Besides, he could handle it.

As long as he had his meds tomorrow, he could.

Yami slumped against the wall and shrunk down to the floor, not attempting to make his way up the stairs to his room or anyplace else. The floor was good enough to lie down on until his father got home.

He wondered now. He wondered how long it would take for his father to actually give him his pills, an hour?

Maybe two?

Four perhaps?

All depended on his mood and memory which wasn't usually good when it came to his one and only son.

() () () () () () () () () ()

Marik waved over to Mana as she came closer to him, searching around for a certain boy with white hair and homicidal eyes. Alas, he was nowhere to be found. "Where's my idiot brother?"

"Oh, I think he left during fourth period." Before Mana could think that he was skipping class, she remembered that their mom was taking him to get his license and today was that day. "Guess it's just you and me today."

She smiled warmly. "Guess so!" They preceded their walk back home and per usual, Marik had his arm around her. To anyone else walking past them, they had the appearance of a normal couple.

"Eh, Mana?"

"Yeah?"

The girl tilted her head slightly and started while he spoke. At this moment, Marik was extremely happy that Mana was terrible at tiny details else she would have noticed trances of a faint blush tinting his cheeks. "Are you busy Friday?"

"Why?"

"Well, if I offered to take you out during a school night your dad will shoot me and Bakura would dance on my corpse. Friday is safe enough."

Mana shrugged her shoulders. "And what will we be doing? I mean, I don't really know if Bakura is free on-"

Marik snorted in disbelief. "Did I say you **and** Bakura? If I wanted to hang out with Bakura, I wouldn't have said anything to you. I asked for you only."

"Again… why?"

Instead of coming up with a beyond clever response that would have explained perfectly, he decided to say what he usually meant. Marik grinned wickedly and pulled Mana closer, the mischief clear in his eyes. "Need I a reason to ask my lover if she's free? And besides, it's not like it's gonna be a date." He finished with a soft whisper.

There was no problem with being out with Marik, they were friends. He was almost like her brother; he definitely treated her a lot better than Bakura did. And was much more open with her, unlike Bakura. "Of course I will! Don't let it slip to Bakura though, he'll murder you." She joked to him as they neared her house.

"Do I look like I have a death wish?" Marik cried out in his always playful tone and Mana laughed, though sometimes it did seem like he did.

They walked up the steps to her front door and Marik stayed besides her until she got her keys and unlocked the door. "Thanks for walking me home."

"Oh please, it's the least I could do. I'll call you later to plan it out."

She nodded and leaned forward, surprising Marik in a hug. "See ya!" Mana waved as she entered her house and then shut the door.

Marik hastily turned around and bit his bottom lip, his eyes cast downward as he replayed their walk in his mind. _I'm not playing around Mana, I never was…

* * *

_

Agh… I like how this chapter finished… alright! The Yami and Mana action will start next chapter! Damn, I gotta finish that YGO: QFC project soon… review please! XD


	3. Chapter 3

Alrighty then… I think I'm finally getting to some of the parts I want to get to. Um, I don't really know how to write abuse scenes so bear with me… I tried…

* * *

**Chapter Three**

4:00 pm.

_Where's dad…?_

5:00 pm.

_Where the hell is he?_

6:00 pm.

_Where the fuck is that bastard?_

7:00 pm had come. Yami was already kicking the wall, repeatedly even though his foot was sore and aching from the force. He was jittery; his skin shook with each movement he took. His mind was telling him all sorts of things, contradictory to each thought and all shouting at once. The little red lights that dotted the room usually calmed him, but now… the more he stared at them… the more he was _sure_ that they were odd-looking. Maybe form-shaping. Yami vigorously shook his head, trying to gain back control of his mind.

"Yami!" He heard faintly. Was his father home?

_About fucking time!_ Carefully, he treaded downstairs and held back each groan of pain for his foot. Yami found his father in his study, setting aside his papers and finally picking up a tiny bottle, shaking it. The noise reminded Yami of a rattle and all it did was irritate him further. "Was… work good?" He asked slowly, his head bowed as to not see the glint in his father's blood eyes.

"Yes, up until your school called." He stepped closer to him, still shaking the bottle which Yami recognized as his pills. Yami lunged for the pills but his father swung his arm up, pushing the boy back out of the room and causing him to fall. "So… tell me what happened."

The rattle shook more.

"Truth time, my dear Yami."

_**Or else…**_

He gulped nervously and stood up, using the wall as support to get back to his feet. The flash in his father's eyes were threatening, practically daring Yami to try to lie. He wished he could, his situation would be easier. At this moment, no truth was going to set him free. "The um, voices… were too loud… I ran." The corridor was filled with silence; all but the bottle was still. His father began to take slow steps to him, each one seeming almost an eternity before his father towered over him.

"Voices?"

Yami's legs gave way as his father kicked one knee with his strength, it would undoubtedly be hurting for a while. He didn't bother to raise his head. He didn't need to see his pitiful expression reflected in his father's eyes. The boy's ears perked up by the sound of chuckling, another sign of worse things to come.

"_Voices?_"

Fear radiated through his core at his father's raised voice, carrying the deathly tone he hated so much. Yami lowered his head more, his eyes directly staring at the tiles beneath him.

_**LIES!**_

His father grabbed him by the hair, nearly yanking it out of its roots and flung him against the wall, his shoulder hitting the table edge as he slid down. "Is that the **best** fucking excuse you could **possibly** come up with?" Before Yami had enough time to register what was happening, the man was again in front of him, his foot stomping down on his ankle repeatedly.

Long ago, Yami learned not to scream but even he had his limits on pain. The shoulder was hurting enough, his sides were bruised, his knee was screaming and his ankle was merely the icing on the cake. "STOP IT!" His voice cried out, earning him a backhand across his face and he fell to his side.

"Completely worthless! That's what you are! How I was able to sire a mistake like you is unbelievable!" Yami stayed on the ground, clenching his fists tightly as his father's words stabbed him deeper. "Your mother had the right idea, leaving before seeing what filth she brought into the world."

_**Filth…**_

_**Worthless…**_

_**Mistake!**_

He bent down to his son's still body and raised his head up by placing his fingers under his chin. By now, Yami's eyes were blank as they always were once his father spoke. "Remember that Yami, despite you being useless… I stuck around. I have made a mistake, staying here with you." He popped open the bottle and pushed two of the pills into the boy's mouth. "You don't need other people seeing more of your flaws."

The father left and Yami's head sunk back onto the tiles, staring ahead at the white walls opposite of him. _That's right… a mistake. I can't forget. I __**mustn't**__ forget that._

() () () () () () () () () ()

KNOCK KNOCK!

"Hm…" Bakura snuggled deeper into his pillow and shoved the blanket over his head.

KNOCK KNOCK!

His arm moved swiftly and grabbed whatever was on the nightstand and threw it at the door, most likely breaking whatever the object was that he had grabbed.

"BAKURA! WAKE UP!" The rather feminine voice on the other side yelled.

"I'M UP! GOD FUCKING DAMN IT, I'M FUCKING UP!" He screamed and jumped from his bed, stretching out his muscles and saw what the broken object was. _Damn it… I really liked that snow globe. _"Great, mom's gonna kill me… oh well, problem for later!" Bakura opened the door and was knocked to the ground by Mana running toward him at lightning speed and pouncing on him.

"WAKE UP!" The girl screeched into his ears.

He groaned inwardly and felt the urge to throw her over the staircase. Without losing his temper all at once, he sighed heavily and grinned. "I'm up… now get the fuck off me!" Mana giggled and did as her brother ordered her to do. "Geez, couldn't you have waited another five seconds?" He complained more as he made his way to the bathroom to shower and change.

Mana shrugged her shoulders and ran downstairs to eat her breakfast, which was only cereal seeing as both parents left early for work. As did every morning, the doorbell rung and she ran over to the door, opening it and embracing the boy in front of her. "Morning Marik!" The blond laughed and hugged her back, lifting her up to the outside and twirling her. "Put me down! I just ate, put me down!"

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard that before. Hey, where's Bakura? He up yet?" He took his phone briefly out of his pocket and saw the time, 7:27. Mana nodded and explained to him how she heroically managed to wake him up, braving the beating she would have gotten in return and all he could do was laugh. "Well, let's ditch him."

"Marik!"

"What, he's a big boy. He can take care of himself; we don't need to follow him everywhere." He crossed his arms behind his head and leaned in closer to Mana. "Besides, Rishid hasn't left the house yet so if we make it there in time then we can get a ride to school instead of walking."

The moment she heard 'ride', she was sold. "'Kay, lemme get my stuff." Mana rushed back inside and grabbed her stuff, still hearing the shower running and figured he wasn't going to be out for a little bit. _Eh, he can't really yell at me for this._

Marik tapped his foot, humming a tune that had gotten stuck to his head for the past few nights before Mana came back. "Come on, we gotta hurry!" Marik grabbed her hand and started running to the opposite direction. Since Mana wasn't that good of a runner, it was especially harder for her because it was more like he was dragging her rather than guiding her.

"Slow down!"

"That defeats the purpose of **hurrying up**!"

Mana held on tighter to his hand and tried to run faster, though not much because Marik was just faster. It didn't take long for them to reach his house, though Mana nearly fainted on Marik's shoulder from exhaustion. She didn't notice the blush across his cheeks nor the wide grin plastered across his face. _Wow, I didn't think the running thing would actually work. Note to self, always listen to big sisters._

They waited outside for another minute until another man came out of the small house, Marik waved to him. "Hey Rishid, can we get a ride?"

The man raised an eyebrow and walked over to his younger brother, eyeing both him and Mana. "I thought you left earlier."

Marik nodded. "Yeah, but we," he pointed to Mana who was still using his shoulder as a head rest, "didn't really want to walk. So I was just-"

"Fine, get in." Marik let out a triumphant _yes_ and helped Mana inside the car, for she wasn't the running type and didn't recover too easily. Rishid just rolled his eyes and didn't bother to comment on how close his brother was getting to the girl, it wasn't really his business.

() () () () () () () () () ()

Yami parked into an empty spot near the exit, but was having trouble getting out. His ankle refused to move and same for his leg, which required moving his knee. Most of his body was in pain, but the voices were gone. He sighed heavily and grabbed the icepack that was still pressed against his shoulder. He was pretty sure something had to be broken, some part of his body had to be but most of the time he had thought that, it was exaggerated and turned out to be nothing more than soreness or sprains.

But still, it hurt.

His hand reached over and opened the door, now a new challenge presented itself. Getting out. He'd been through worse before but this was pain and he wasn't dealing well with it. He first moved his right leg out, which was the one with the busted ankle and touched the ground with no incident. The left leg was out, though this one hurt for it involved the actual bending of the knee.

Yami bit his lip and was ready to scream as he stood up to his feet, feeling the actual pressure of his weight on the swollen ankle. _I should've gotten a stupid crutch… no, that involves explaining… fuck it._ He leaned against the car and removed the ice pack from his shoulder, knocking it back inside the car and locked the door. With one last heavy exhale, Yami started walking but not five feet away from his car he was nearly hit by another car. He jumped out of the way quickly, suppressing another scream.

"Hey kid, you okay?" A tall, tanned man came out of the car and Yami nodded, making sure no sign of pain was scattered across his face.

Another door of the red car opened and out came Marik followed by Mana. "Geez psycho, watch it. I wouldn't want my brother wasting money trying to wash your blood off the car." Marik huffed out and grabbed Mana's wrist, pulling her away from the scene. Had it been any other day, Yami would have retorted back with some sort of witty comment but he was too damn tired to even walk straight.

Mana didn't bother to say anything to him; she still remembered the last words he uttered to her the previous day.

"_**Shut up!"**_

It was resolved. There was no more need to waste her time on someone who didn't want to talk to her, who was annoyed by every sound she could possibly have made.

() () () () () () () () () ()

By lunch, Bakura had caught up with Marik who was trying his very hardest to avoid him. However, once Bakura had made his mind up about hunting down fresh meat, his victim hadn't long to hide. "Oh, come on, you were taking a shower and who knows how long you were gonna be there for? I was just thinking of Mana and-"

Bakura gripped onto Marik's shirt and shoved him against the wall, glaring his signature death gaze. "I don't give a fuck. The fact that you were _alone _with her is enough reason for me to be pissed. I'm gonna warn you only once now; go off anywhere with my little sister again _without_ me, not only will I kill you but also ritualistically carve the skin off your body and burn you alive. Are we clear?"

Marik stared deeply into the intensity of Bakura's murderous eyes, not seeing a hint of jester. Slowly, the blonde nodded and was instantly released from the wall and he could have sworn that if he stayed for another few seconds there would be an imprint of his body there. _Crazy bastard._ Marik thought as he brushed some of the dirt off his back. "Heaven help the poor soul brave enough to ask Mana out."

Bakura snickered. "Only if he survives 50 stabs wounds from me and interrogation from my dad is he getting to my sister."

In the back of Marik's head, he always knew why he had never told Mana about his feelings for her. It wasn't because of his fear of rejection; he could take it real easily. Bakura wasn't even one of the reasons, he could handle him. After all, he had seen the extent of his anger and he wasn't scared at all. The only problem was the dad. Mahado truly was the over-protective detective father. Marik had known him since he was a kid so Mahado knew all the antics and pranks and trouble he had caused in the past and he didn't have a chance in hell with Mana.

"BAKURA!" Marik was knocked out of his thoughts as he saw the object of his affections running toward them. "Hey Bakura… you're not still mad about earlier, right?"

"Mad? No, of course not!" He sneered. "I just love running out of the house thinking you got kidnapped and are getting gang-raped-of course I'm bloody pissed! Don't do that again!" Bakura bellowed loudly at his sister who took a couple of steps back, smiling innocently as she nodded. Mana knew Bakura was only yelling at her because he was worried, though he would never actually put it into words. But she was with Marik the whole time, nothing could have happened. "Next time you leave, either wait for me or wait for me. Do whichever you want. Now," Bakura started up as he walked up to Shizuka who was approaching with lunch, "you are gonna keep watch on my sister and Romeo over there while I get food. Don't let them be alone." He patted the girl's shoulder and walked off.

Shizuka shrugged her shoulders and sat down on the grass, along with Mana and Marik. "Paranoid much?"

Mana laughed. "This isn't the worst; you should have seen him when my dad was trying to catch this serial rapist and Bakura literally thought I was gonna be a target and made me wear winter clothes to cover myself up even though it was the middle of April." Shizuka snickered as she caught glimpse of the grin across Marik's face, he obviously remembered the situation. "Oh Marik, I talked to my mom about Friday, she said it was fine and I have to be back by 11:30."

Marik turned to Mana and smiled. "Wow, your mom is seriously awesome." _YES! The mom likes me, now for daddy dear._

"Are you guys going somewhere or something like that? GASP!" Shizuka exclaimed as she scooted closer to the two. "You guys aren't dating, are you? I mean… are you?"

Before Marik could open his mouth for his brief joke, Mana giggled. "You've got to be kidding me! Me and Marik? DATING! That is **SO** funny, ain't it?" She shook Marik's arm and he nodded, letting out his laugh to hide the multiple stab wounds she had delivered. _God, why do you hate me so? Why did I have to like not only my best friend's little sister but __**THE **__densest girl on the planet! _

Shizuka nodded skeptically, not sure who to believe. Mana meant what she said but the small twitch in Marik's grin said it all. _Maybe I'm just seeing things…_

That had to be the choice. The other was just too… obvious.

Either Shizuka really did have an over-active imagination or Mana was seriously blind.

() () () () () () () () () ()

Yami swallowed down the Tylenol happily, feeling his pains lessening. He would only have to make it through two more periods. _I'm hungry._ He contemplated whether the painful walk to the cafeteria would be worth it. _Food or pain._ As he stood up to get his food for instant gratification, the bell rang. Yami groaned angrily for now he would be in pain and hungry. "FML…" He muttered bitterly as he left the library and went to his Trig class which thankfully wasn't far.

Mana and Shizuka walked down the halls, engaged in a rather intriguing conversation before Mana stopped dead in her tracks and backed up a few steps. Shizuka noticed the strange behavior and decided to check out what the problem was now. "Um, any particular reason you don't want to go to Trig? I know it must be boring and all but-"

"No, _he_ went in there!"

"Who? Who he? Is he cute? Do we know him?"

"The jerk, Yami!" Mana yelped in a loud whisper. "I'm not going in there alone… I'll just wait for Bakura to come around."

Shizuka scoffed, almost wanting to laugh. "I can't believe you're still on about that. Are you gonna be hung up over every person that gets on your bad side? That's not healthy." Shizuka finished as she placed a hand on her hip and wagged her finger.

"Well, he's the one who's being evil to me. I tried to be nice and he's… just… AGH!" Mana groaned loudly and made inaudible noises that were meant to express her frustration. The other girl figured she was a lost cause and went off to her own class while Mana waited for a couple of more minutes before Bakura came back with what looked like his lunch. "What took you so long?" She inquired as stole some of the fries on his tray.

"Hey, not my fault I happen to like food. Besides, shouldn't you be in there already? Oh! I get it… you're regretting taking this class now, ain't you?" She nodded slightly, hardly paying any attention to him. "Too late to drop out now. You can look at it this way," he continued on as he entered the classroom with her next to him, "when you fail this class for your general stupidness, know that you can always retake the class over the summer or next year while I laugh." Mana growled and kicked the back of Bakura's knee, almost making him fall over one of the desks. Yami glanced over and snickered at the feuding siblings along with some of the other people in the class. The action didn't go by unnoticed by Bakura who couldn't do much since it wouldn't be good for him in any way to retaliate back to his little sister.

Mana took her seat in the back, as always right next to Yami. He sighed heavily and waited for her to start in on her loud greetings and annoying conversations about how the day was so far or something close to that. He waited for her talking to begin but instead… she was silent. Yami almost couldn't believe his ears. The next few minutes were the same result; Mana hadn't said a word to him. Did she only now get the obvious hint? _Only took about forever and a half!_

Even throughout the rest of the Trig lesson was quiet, which Yami relished completely. She hadn't once asked him for help on any of the cotangents or sine or anything like that. It was peaceful and almost seemed like no one was sitting next to him.

Though it took most of the day to happen, Yami finally was in a good mood.

() () () () () () () () () ()

**Wednesday. **

The same thing had happened. She was quiet wasn't talking to him and it didn't appear as though she would anytime soon. He didn't care. This was his mini-break and the last thing he needed while the pain was still there was the major headache of listening to the first-year next to him.

**Thursday. **

Yami was now slightly annoyed. Mana literally wasn't saying a word. Not even mumbling to herself how she wasn't understanding the current lesson or anything like that. In fact, she wasn't even yelling across the class to yell at Bakura for anything. Had the girl lost her voice or something like that?

**Friday.**

There was no denying it now; Yami was annoyed and _very_ curious. Mana had to be the oddest person he had met. How did a hyper girl go from talking non-stop one day and turn into a mime for the rest of the time? Was she high or drunk or something to that effect? Thankfully, he got his chance to find out when they were forced to recreate the unit circle as a project turned homework. Mana was trying to finish her worksheet when her last bit of lead gave out and she shook the pencil harshly, hearing nothing. She scoured through her pencil bag, looking for any lead she had and realized she had none. _I'm somehow going to regret this… _Sighing, Yami turned to her and held out his own pencil. "Here, take mine. I'd give you lead but I'm running out of it too."

Mana didn't even raise her head up and merely took out a pen, even though everyone knew math assignments were never done in pen. Now Yami was sure, she was ignoring him. On purpose. Against his better judgment, he opened to his mouth and talked to her. "You do realize that you get an automatic zero for any work done in pen, right?"

On her end, there was no answer.

"So I'm assuming you're fine with a zero?"

No answer.

He was no longer annoyed but infuriated. Here he was, asking a simple question and the girl refused to talk to him and treated him as though he were a fly on the wall. _No, even flies get noticed! _At least whenever she had asked him something, no matter how stupid the conversation was, he responded though it was usually to tell her that he wasn't interested in talking to her. But still… why was she ignoring his presence? "Do you have a problem with me?"

As it was the previous time, no answer.

"Is this a thing you share with your brother? Having an innate ability to anger people without even trying?" Yami narrowed his red eyes at her, the shade turning darker by the second from his irritation.

Finally, from his never-faltering gaze Mana slammed her pen onto the desk and turned abruptly to Yami who was slightly surprised by the emotion in her own which were dangerously similar to his own. "What's your deal?"

"Mine? Look who's talking!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't mind if you don't want to talk, but if you're going to purposefully ignore me at least have a plausible reason."

"You being a psycho isn't enough?"

"Not. Even. Close." Yami enunciated slowly for her, as though he were speaking to a small child.

Mana groaned and completely turned toward him, moving her chair as well. "Alright, how's this for a reason? You hate me for no reason, even though I've been nothing but nice to you!"

"Nice? _Nice? _You call prying into my business, constantly being annoying and talking like you have A.D.D _nice_? What planet are you from?"

"Oh yea, and I'm sure telling me to shut up when I was asking a small, little question was just your way of being friendly?"

Yami arched an eyebrow. This time, he had no clue as to what she was talking about. At least what he was saying was true, why did she need to make up lies? "You seriously can't come up with a better argument than something you just made up yourself."

She scoffed loudly and both found it amazing that no one was paying attention to them. "Wanna bet! Monday, I asked you about you being in Domino with your girlfriend and you just tell me to shut up and then leave instantly. I mean, god! Do I seriously annoy you that much?"

"I did not tell you to shut up, especially over something ridiculous as that."

"Yes, you did!"

"No, I didn't!"

"Yes, you _**did**_!"

"No, I did _**not**_!"

Mana growled angrily. "Oh, I suppose you were talking to the other person next to you, right?" She added sarcastically.

Yami opened his mouth to respond then shut it instantly. Monday, she said? Monday… Monday was when he wasn't really _all_ there. He was off his meds and heard nothing but the aggravating voices all day long. He remembered little at what happened at school besides him leaving during this same period. Was that… when she was talking to him? Did he really say that to-

No.

Not to her.

He wasn't even talking to her.

Mana continued to glare as the anger in Yami's eyes dulled down to shame and regret and figured she had won the battle. "You're right. I did say that to you." He lowered his gaze down to his desk, turning back into the regular position.

"Mind saying why?" Mana was still pissed and Yami admitting his guilt only added fuel to the flames.

Yami thought about what to say to her, something plausible to say. Something believable. He would rather be hated for being a psycho before letting anyone catch on to what was really going on. "Not that it's any of your business, but I am under pressure and it tends to come out from time to time."

She shook her head and pulled her chair back as well. "If that's the case, then I have **no idea** how your girlfriend puts up with you."

"Can you stop saying that?"

"What?"

"The girlfriend thing. I don't know what you are talking about but in all honesty, I don't have one and I would appreciate it if you would stop asking me about some imaginary person."

"But I saw-"

"I do not take kindly to people saying false things about me, so please… whoever you think you saw in Domino, it wasn't me." Mana continued to look at him and wanted to keep yelling at him, to somehow catch him in the web of lies that he had just created and trap him. But Monday, she was sure of it… Yami didn't look like his normal self. He looked in pain, as he did for the last few days now that she actually thought about it. Maybe… he was telling the truth. But if so… why would he tell her so abruptly?

Did he… trust her?

As in, he considered her as something more than an annoying acquaintance?

As a… friend?

They sat in silence for the next few moments before Mana reached over to his desk and grabbed the pencil he had offered her earlier. "I can still have this, right?" Yami silently nodded and Mana went right back to work. "So um… how good are you with school?"

Yami smirked and shook his head. He wanted to know why she wasn't talking to him and he would know have to deal with the consequences of his actions. "Very good, actually. Another year of perfect scores and I'm valedictorian."

"Really?" Mana was now excited. If Yami was literally the smartest person in his year at the moment, that only meant he was her ticket away from failing her hardest class. In other words, their class. "So if I were to… I don't know, ask um… you know, you for help… you would…"

Yami blinked and settled his cheek upon his palm. "You want me to give you Trig review or something?"

"Actually, tutoring is the right word."

"Why don't you ask your brother?"

"He's my brother and I've seen his grades. And besides, the last time I asked him for help in a class, I nearly failed the final. So you wouldn't mind, right?"

Yami placed his hand back on the desk and tapped his fingertips against the desktop, thinking about her question. He really didn't like talking with people; he especially didn't like being near them either. Everyone else shared the same sentiment. This girl though… Mana Mizuno, annoyed him. She wanted to continue talking to him, even though she probably thought him to be the rudest person on the planet for repeatedly giving out his bad attitude toward her while she was only being nice. He really shouldn't. He hated being annoyed. Especially from talking. Constant, nonsense talking. "No, I don't."

() () () () () () () () () ()

Mana came running down the steps and found her dad relaxing on the couch while her mom was fixing up dinner while Bakura was forced to help out. Figuring asking her dad while he was tired on a Friday night for money would be a bad idea, she decided on her mom who was always nicer and willing to give Mana what she wanted usually with no questions asked. "Hiya Mommy, how ya feelin' tonight?"

Isis put the ladle down and smiled at her daughter. "Mana, when you want something just come right out and ask. Don't start on the Mommy routine." She scolded softly while Bakura could only laugh while he was preparing a small salad.

"Fine. Um, Marik's coming by really soon and I needed some money."

Bakura stopped what he was doing and now paid attention to Mana and his mother's little talk. "Marik? Why the fuck is he coming over? I didn't invite him."

"We're going out."

"We didn't make any plans."

"These don't include you." Mana summed up rather bluntly as Isis handed her a couple of twenties, warning her about spending them all at once.

His eyes widened well out of their eye sockets once he heard what Mana had just said. Marik… his best friend… and Mana… his precious little sister… were going out, on a Friday night… _**ALONE?**_ Bakura took a look at Mana's outfit and almost gagged. It was a short, blue skirt and a long-sleeved white shirt with flip-flops. _Why is it always a fucking skirt? Does no one wear shorts anymore?_ "DAD!" Bakura screamed as he ran over to the couch and shook his father roughly. "Dad! Dad! Dad!"

"Oh, what now?" Mahado muttered as he pushed his son off. "I am listening, go on."

"Do you see what Mana is wearing? She's going out by herself! At night! With money! Alone! In a mini-skirt!" Bakura heaved out and pointed to Mana who was walking out of the kitchen. "Tell your wannabe-stripper daughter not to go out!"

"I'm not a stripper!"

"Well, in that skirt ya coulda fooled me!"

"Everyone wears skirts like this and besides, all the shorts I should have are still in the laundry which _someone_ still hasn't done." Mana pointed out and both started in on their loud bickering.

Mahado groaned loudly and hung his head back. "KIDS!"

Both of them piped down and bowed their heads. "Sorry dad…" They muttered angrily.

Before he had a chance to have a small chat with them both, the doorbell rang and Mana and Bakura raced to the door, trying to trip each other but Bakura won and opened the door seeing Marik in front of him. "Oh, evening Bakura. Eh, is Mana ready?"

Bakura scanned Marik's attire as well and raised a brow at it. The black pants weren't so much of a problem but the damn shirt… he had to wonder why Marik was wearing a bare-midriff unless he was trying to show something off. "Marik, remember our little talk this morning? Because if you don't," Bakura cracked his knuckles and grinned murderously, "allow me to remind you of its content."

"Bakura! Step away from the door this instant!" Mahado yelled and pulled his son away and Mana felt it was safe enough to go as she moved past her father and got next to Marik. "Hold on missy, where are you going?"

"Um…" She shrugged her shoulders and Mahado eyed Marik.

"Oh!" He straightened up under the watchful glare. "The fair. Today's the last day and I wanted to take Mana because she told me she hasn't gone since she was little."

"Why isn't Bakura going along?"

"He hates fairs."

"I do not!" Bakura screeched from behind his father.

"**Yes you do!**" Both Marik and Mana retorted, neither wanting to let Bakura get away with that obvious lie. "Don't worry, Detective Mizuno. We're pretty much hanging with my brother, so it's not a date. I'll have her home by… ten-ish?" The last part held the nervous overtone and Mahado nodded, giving his blessing for Mana to enjoy herself with friends.

And Marik knew that's what it was supposed to be, friendly outing only.

They turned and headed toward Rishid's car and took their spots in the back. As Rishid started to drive in the direction of the fair, Mana was telling Marik everything that had happened in the house with Bakura yelling at her and calling her a stripper-in-training or something exceedingly close to that. Of course, Marik could only laugh. "You? Stripper-in-training? Oh please, you can barely handle a make-out scene in movies. I doubt you can do a strip-tease."

"… shouldn't that be a good thing?"

"Yup! Means me and Bakura don't have to go and bust some balls." He laughed wholeheartedly while Mana shook her head lowly. Another reason she could never get a boyfriend. Too many people would be going after him.

"Yea… heaven help the poor soul who goes out with me." Mana muttered.

Before long, they made it to the fair and Mana was surprised by how different it looked from when she was young. The last time she had been there, Bakura was six and she was four and all he did all day was complain about which rides he wanted to go and which food he wanted to eat. It was fun, but not nearly as much fun as she wanted it to be. This time though, there was no brother breathing down her neck about where he wanted to go.

"Let's go on that ride!" Marik immediately pointed to a roller-coaster which was guaranteed to make them scream and barf up their lunch. Mana didn't get a chance to respond as he took hold of her hand and they ran to the ride, leaving Rishid somewhere far behind them.

Despite the fact that Marik went on a bunch of rides Mana didn't want to go on, he let her pick whichever rides she wanted to go on as well to compensate. However, neither was crazy enough to try the bungee-jumping even though Marik was repeatedly joking that she should try it. Like at school, he had his arm around her to make sure she stayed close and they had the appearance of a couple as usual. It wasn't a date, she knew that but she had to admit she was having fun.

From time to time, Marik would glance at her smiling face and resisted the urge to pull her closer and kiss her. He had to keep the mentality that it wasn't a date but a simple outing between friends.

"Marik!" She squealed loudly and tugged at his arm, pointing to balloon-darts game. "Look at that Kuriboh! Isn't it cute?" Mana cried out excitedly at the giant, stuffed Kuriboh hanging up their as one of the prizes.

To satisfy his curiosity, he stared at the Kuriboh and wondered what was so cute about it. It was as big as a four-year-old with large bug eyes belonged in a haunted mansion. To him, it was creepy looking. The very opposite of cute. "You want it?" Mana nodded. "Okay, I'll win it for ya."

"Really!" Mana jumped up and down like a child and hugged him joyfully. That was all the encouragement Marik needed to go and waste his money on the furball. The next five minutes, he had shelled out thirty-five bucks trying to win the thing and wasn't anywhere closer to getting it than he was before. Mana was even seeing it too. "Marik, you might wanna stop now."

"Jailbait, you told me you wanted the little mothball and I'm gonna get it for you. Now let me win the stupid little thing." Mana shook her head and turned around; she couldn't watch Marik waste more of his money trying to win the animal. She already had laughed enough and didn't need to see more.

Marik noticed she wasn't watching and motioned over for the gamekeeper to come over. "Hey, listen man… I don't feel like flushing my money down the toilet so why don't you just give me the ugly little mothball up there." The old man laughed, thinking that was the funniest thing he had heard all day. Marik, though, was not amused. "Look, either give me that thing or I'm gonna shove these darts so far up your ass you ain't never gonna walk straight again." He whispered in a deadly tone and his eyes matched his voice.

His threatening manner usually worked 50/50. Either it worked perfectly or not. In this case…

"Am I gonna need to call security on you, kid?"

It failed.

Marik slammed his fists bitterly and sighed in defeat, pulling out a good amount of money that he had left in his pocket. "If I give you sixty, will you just give me that creepy little dust bunny up there and act like I won it? That's more than I would spend trying to win it anyways."

The old man couldn't deny the logic Marik had and took the money, getting the large Kuriboh down in return. "Eh, you must really like that girl over there, don't ya?"

Marik didn't bother to answer that, he was too busy trying not to be creeped out by the large eyes on the Kuriboh he was holding. "Oi, Mana!" She turned at last, shaking her head until she saw what he was holding in his arms. "You missed it! I popped ten balloons in a row, you should've seen it! I'm telling ya, I got magic fingers."

"You. Are. Awesome!" She yelped and glomped Marik, planting a quick kiss on his cheek before taking the Kuriboh and cuddling it closer to her. Marik smiled again as he watched her being overjoyed over the gift he had given her. At least now, when Mana would hug that creepy furball… she would only think of him.

Marik was glad to have that little part of her that was only his.

* * *

Well, I think this is a pretty place to stop at. Anyways, I should probably get sleep. I have two tests on Tuesday and two projects due on Wednesday… damn it! It's pretty funny I finished this today, especially since I was SOOO close to throwing my computer at the wall because of a stupid little program. Funny thing, me and a friend were reading some really bad stories up here and while my hand was twitching over the stupidity, she tried to change it to the next chapter and she accidently knocked the glass of water on my computer and we literally screamed at the same time and tried to remove all the water as soon as possible. Thankfully, my computer is fine.

The lesson here: Never read bad fan-fiction while you have liquid by your side.

Review please! XD


	4. Chapter 4

I think my nervousness for this story is starting to ebb away…. Not completely but still… it's some progress. Anyways, here you guys go and enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Mana walked around the library, intricately searching each aisle for her soon-to-be-study partner, Yami. It occurred to her rather quickly during the weekend while she was attempting to do the homework that she didn't have Yami's number. In fact, they didn't have a study group time set out. All of this inevitably led her to his lunch spot. Soon, Mana found Yami leaning against the book case, his posture at a perfect stance and perfectly relaxed.

As a gesture of humor, Mana quietly snuck up behind him and poked him between the ribs. Quickly, Yami spun around with malice in his eyes for whoever was touching him. As he saw Mana's bright green eyes and happy-go-lucky smile, he calmed down and shook his head. "Don't sneak up on me again."

"Did I scare you?" She asked hopefully.

Yami didn't give her an answer. "I don't take well to surprises, or poking for that matter." He then realized something. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be outside, eating lunch and annoying other people?"

Mana laughed sarcastically. "Yeah, but I needed to ask you a couple of things." Yami nodded for her to continue as he put the book he was reading back on the shelf. "Could I have your number?" If Yami had still been holding the book, he would have dropped it in an instant from her request. Very carefully and slowly, he turned back around and shook his head, wondering if she knew the words that just came out of her mouth. "Before you get the wrong idea, I figured it'd be easier to call or text you about the assignment instead of wasting my lunch time in here all day."

"So spending time reading and furthering your mind is a waste time?"

"Hey, you rhymed!"

"I am deeply surprised that you are passing your other classes with a mentality like that." Yami walked away and Mana trailed behind him until they settled on a table. Figuring she wasn't going to drop the subject, he sighed and scribbled his number down in defeat. "Fine, have it. It's not joined at my hip though, I may not answer." _Probably never answer._ He knew better than to tell her that. Mana grinned and took the piece of paper. Thinking quickly, she took out a pen and grabbed Yami's hand. "What are you doing?"

"Don't move." The pen made contact with his skin and Yami jerked his hand away.

"Don't you dare write-"

Mana stole his hand back and giggled. "Too late." Mana put down her number on the palm of his hand, his brows furrowing ever more. "Wait, how about instead of spending all of lunch in here or all night calling, how about you tutor me after school?"

"No." He replied curtly. Even if he was less annoyed by her than before, it didn't mean he wanted to be around her more than he needed to.

"Please! Pleasepleaseplease! Come on, you said you would." Mana argued as she grabbed his arm and shook it.

Yami's low level of patience had reached its limit. Immediately, his hand reach over to her wrist and pulled it away from his arm. "Stop. Doing. That." His grip tightened and Mana bit her lip. "My arm is not a toy nor am I in the mood for your whining. I never said anything about tutoring you after school. Nor did I say I would, I only said I wouldn't mind. Right now, I mind."

Mana's face scrunched up in disappointment from his words, she hadn't expected him to be so mad over this. Then again, she thought he would have calmed down over the weekend but that turned out to be a bust. "Sorry…" She whispered lowly and Yami felt slightly guilty.

… _Damn it._ Yami didn't like to see people in a bad mood, he saw enough of that in himself and he especially didn't like that he was the cause of it. If he had to choose between a happy or dejected Mana, he'd rather go for the happy. At least then, she could distract him for a couple of minutes. He released her wrist and shook his head. "Don't apologize."

"No, if you really don't want to tutor me it's fine. I just… I get very hyper and excited when I'm nervous. And I, well..."

"Where?"

"Huh?" Mana tilted her head to the side, confused by what he said and why he interrupted her like that.

Yami sighed heavily and sat down, already feeling a headache coming on as he imagined her reaction. "Where do you want to study at?"

Mana's eyes lit up in delight and in her happiness, she jumped on him, causing him to fall of the chair in a huff. "OH MY GOSH, THANK YOU!" She squealed over and over again, while Yami's body tensed up. He hated the feeling of someone lunging at him; it was uncomfortable and unbearable even if it was something as innocent as a hug. Mana, realizing their position, got off him and blushed. "Whoops, got excited. Sorry." A nervous laugh escaped her while Yami stood up abruptly, his fingers shaking and his eyes slightly widening.

"It's fine…" He murmured, trying to get his body back from the rough sensation he felt.

Mana, thinking that he was fine, went on. "Well, my house is definitely out of the question! I mean, Bakura is enough of a reason. And my dad would kill me. He'd never believe me that you're only there for, you know tutorial purposes. Actually, he probably might send me to an all-girls school if that were the case. Hm, compared to Bakura, I should be more trustworthy but NO! I can't make guy friends without them being after perverted stuff. Does that even make sense to you?" Yami shook his head, trying to grasp how anyone could ever be interested in Mana in such a way. Besides Marik of course, he must've seen something likable for her to be his girlfriend. _Annoying, loud-mouthed, hyper, naïve… can't see it._

"How about someplace public?"

"NO!" She sat in the chair next to him in a huff, panic written all over her face. "What if people saw me and you together?"

"If you have such a problem being around me, then you-"

"No," Mana shook her head and smiled, "that's not what I meant. I mean, they might think we're going out and that could somehow leak to Bakura or Marik and they'll tell my dad."

_Am I dealing with the mafia here?_ Yami wasn't going to question too much about Mana's father, if she was scared of him finding out then he wasn't going to question it. He had his own fears so he understood, though he doubted hers were as severe. A sudden idea struck Yami's mind, a bad idea. It was to him. How he could think of something idiotic like that was beyond him but if she kept knocking down all the other options, this was the last one. "How about my house? I sincerely doubt anyone'll find you there and it's pretty quiet too."

"Will your parents mind?"

_Very. _"I don't think so." _He doesn't get home till late, I would just have to get her out before dark._ "Would yours?" He asked sarcastically, a small smirk gracing his features.

Mana pursed her lips and shook her head. "I'll… um, well… I'll think of something!" With that as the final word, the bell rang and Mana immediately jumped from her chair and out of the library while Yami wondered how she was able to run out so fast.

"My house." Yami wanted to punch something now; any object or person in front of him would be a perfect target. How could he be so idiotic as to invite her to his house? There were many reasons, most of which weren't even personal, that could get him out of the situation that he had placed himself in. Why hadn't he used them? If it was truly because he felt bad for how treated her while off his meds, he had well-enough made up for it by managing not to yell at her for poking him.

More importantly, what was he going to do about his father? For as much as Yami hated there being people in the house, his father felt twenty times more resentment, especially if his precious son had any attachment to them. He was surely guaranteed punishment for this, how much though he was uncertain of. This was actually a new experience for him, bringing a friend home.

_Friend? Am I actually bringing a friend? No, not a friend. Just some poor, pathetic first year who can't figure her way out of Trig._ He sighed heavily and walked out of the library, trying to think of how he got himself into this predicament in the first place.

He cursed the wind.

() () () () () () () () () ()

As Mana took out her phone, she was extremely determined; more so than she had ever been about anything in her life. The plan she devised was foolproof, or at least, it appeared to be. But in order for it to work, she needed one person's help. Luckily, Bakura was in his own room, probably blasting his eardrums, and their parents were downstairs, busy with whatever they usually did after work. In other words, Mana had enough time.

"_Hello?_"

"Hey Shizuka, can I ask you for a favor?"

"_Of course!_" The abrupt response made Mana all the happier.

"Alright, promise you won't say anything to anyone though. This is like, the utmost importance."

"_Just tell me already!_"

Mana sighed and leaned forward a little, making sure no one was walking by and could possibly hear her. "If anyone asks where I'm at after school, say I'm studying at your house."

"… _why?_"

She bit her lip nervously and sunk deeper into her mattress. "Please, I just need you to cover."

"_I figured that, but I meant __**why?**__ Are you gonna be on some big romantic date or something?_" Shizuka asked jokingly.

"I wish! But no, actually I'm uh… gonna…"

"_**SPILL!**_"

"Be at a guy's house." There was silence on the other line, but Mana knew she was still on judging from the noise she was hearing. Slightly, Mana could hear Shizuka saying something about going into the other room, most likely to her mom. "Shizuka? You there?"

With a quick mumble, Shizuka was back on the phone. "_So let me get this straight, you want me to say that you're at my house, studying, while you're actually off at some guy's house doing it? He __**better **__be worth the trouble!_"

Mana blushed and giggled, mostly at Shizuka's accusation. "We're not gonna be doing anything! He's just going to tutor me!"

"_Uh-huh… __**'tutoring'**__._" Shizuka replied, her tone filled with sarcasm and skepticism. "_I'm definitely never telling my brother that I get tutoring then, he'll kill my study partner._" Both girls erupted into laughter from the double meaning. "_Can I at least know who the guy is?_"

"You're not gonna like it."

"_Oh, come on. Try me._"

With a sigh, Mana uttered his name. "Yami."

Shizuka wasted no time complaining. "_**OH MY GOD! WHY ARE YOU OBSESSED WITH THIS GUY?**_"

"I'm not! And besides, we have put aside our differences for the sake of my Trig grade. So please, will you cover for me? Pleasepleaseplease?"

After what seemed to be an eternity, Shizuka let out an exasperated groan. "_Fine, I'll do it. But when you get caught in this lie, you're not dragging me down too._"

"Deal." And with that, Mana hung up the phone, and just in the nick of time for Bakura came in her room saying food's ready. They raced downstairs, practically tripping each other to get first dibs on their food.

"Honestly," Isis started in on her children who were rummaging to get their plates, "you two are too old for these kinds of antics. I did not raise animals."

"No, of course not. You raised a perfectly normal son," Bakura pointed to himself and gave a puff of confidence as he fingered Mana who was getting a drink for herself, "and a guy-crazed freak. Though that could be the same as an animal."

"Shut up Bakura!"

"Mana! Bakura! Sit down and stop bickering. The last thing your mother and I need to hear is your constant chattering." Mahado lectured as they sat down, Isis grinning in happiness for the kids were finally quiet and eating.

Beyond the usual chit-chat about school, work, and gossip, Mana didn't know where to interject. _Well, better late than never. Dad's the best person at this point._ "Hey daddy, I'm gonna be home late tomorrow."

"Why?" Unintentionally, both Mahado and Bakura answered back with suspicion, but she ignored the paranoid brother. "How long will it take, what are you doing and with whom?"

Normally, Isis would try to lessen her husband's paranoia but in cases that involved their children's whereabouts, she didn't bother. "I'm gonna be tutoring after school," Mana answered easily.

Bakura scoffed in disbelief. "Is that code for S&M bondage shit?"

Mana shot her devil glare and side-kicked his shin; a painful groan escaped him. This was not missed by Isis who sent her own glare to Mana, which was at least twenty-times scarier than Mana could ever hope for hers to be. "Only you'd think of something disgusting like that."

"Well, if it's _nothing_ like that then I should go. I got nothing better to do after school." Mahado nodded slowly, taking in his son's idea and pondering on it.

Mana smirked, but quickly replaced it with a sweet grin. "If that's what you really want, fine. I'll tell Shizuka that you'll be coming too."

"Eh? With Shizuka?"

"Yeah, and it's for biology. She's not doing entirely too well, so I offered to come over and help. So Bakura, if you really wanna-"

"Pass." He snorted and went back to his meal, renewing his disinterest in his sister.

Mahado chuckled before taking a sip, pondering his daughter's request. "As long as one of her parents is home, it's fine. Just be back by 6:30pm."

() () () () () () () () () ()

Yami placed both plates on the table and took his seat across from his father who already was inspecting the food. "Hm, you finally cooked the meat right." Yami bit his lip, not used to hearing that though he was sure some kind of insult was to follow. The only thing he had to do was keep his mouth shut and head low, and no trouble would follow. As Yami began to eat his food, he was suddenly distracted by a small vibration in his leg, followed by a loud ring.

His phone was actually ringing.

_What the…?_

Even his father was caught off-guard as he leaned forward to see what the commotion was. "Yami? Who is that?"

"Um…" Quickly, Yami took out his phone and saw the number as Mana Mizuno. _Really? She has to call now?_ "It's just some annoying first-year that can't do anything without my help. I'll be right back."

His father nodded and went back to his food while Yami quickly went into another room and answered the phone. With hesitation, he pressed the call button on the phone and lifted it to his ear. "Hello?"

"_YAMI! YAY! YOU ANSWERED!_" He held the phone a good distance from his ears. "_Guess what! Guess what! Guess what!"_

He sighed heavily, already feeling the pulsating vein throbbing in his head from her loud voice. He wondered why he hadn't hung up yet; it must have been a special power of Mana's… one of her more annoying traits. "I hate guessing, but judging from your excitement, it's something good?"

"_Yup! Better than good! I got permission to get tutoring from you! So how's tomorrow sound?_"

"T-Tomorrow?"

"_YEA! Oh, gotta go! See ya tomorrow!_" Yami dropped his phone, not bothering to even attempt to pick it up. From what she told him earlier, he never expected for her parents to say yes, let alone for her to mention the idea to them. Now though, he had to bring her to his house. An unsteady feeling gurgled within him, making him more than a little nauseated. He had the sudden urge to run to the nearest bathroom and vomit the contents of his stomach.

Why though?

It wasn't from his food; that much was for sure.

Was it truly because of Mana?

Yami went back to the dining table to find only his plate there. His father must have already finished and gone to bed. One thing he liked about dinner besides the food, his father always went straight to bed afterwards. As he collected the dishes, he thought more about Mana and her coming to his house. For once, he was anxious. Perhaps even a tad bit excited. After all, the last time he had someone over was…

He scoffed as he slammed the dishes into the sink.

_It's nothing like that… she's an idiot first year with a math problem and needs to pick my brain for the answers. That's all there is to it. _Yami thought, sending himself back to reality. It wasn't time for hanging out or playtime, but only study. The truth of the matter was if he wasn't smart, she wouldn't be asking him for help.

_Who'd want help from someone who can't say it for themselves?_

() () () () () () () () () ()

Mana jumped around giddy the next morning, happy at last that there was a chance for her to pass her problem class. Even if she did have to rely on the moodiest person on the planet, he was going to help her and she loved that fact. In her gleefulness, Mana began to hum happily.

"For the love of all that is holy, if you have any decency in you, CALM THE FUCK DOWN ALREADY!" Bakura screamed in utter annoyance at his sister. He didn't know what kind of happy pills she was on, but whatever it was, he wanted to crush it with his bare hands and stomp on it repeatedly. "It's too early for your shit, especially before we even get to school."

"Sorry, can't I be in a good mood?" Mana retorted back.

Bakura sneered. "Not if it's bugging me, you're not." He stood up and grabbed his plate, placing it in the sink and was followed by Mana. "Thank God you're never this energetic around Marik." He mumbled under his breath, Mana not even catching the slightest trace of what he was saying.

"Come on, hurry up! We gotta go now!" Mana squealed impatiently.

Not much scared Bakura, but he had to admit this much, seeing Mana telling him to hurry up in the mornings just to get to school was creeping him out. Even if it was just a bit, but still… they weren't running late or anything. What was with the rush? Not bothering to argue with his sister, perhaps he was too tired to do so; they both left their house and were apparently fast walking to school.

And of course, by fast walking it was of course Mana half-running while Bakura was screaming at her to slow down. _Maybe she's avoiding someone?_ Bakura looked around and failed to see Marik. A joyful grin came upon him at the very thought of Mana avoiding Marik. No longer would he have to see the idiocy of his best friend attempting to hit on his sister. _Eh, I'm not that lucky._ Eventually, Bakura got tired of playing catch up with his sister and just let her go ahead. Of course it was at that point that Marik _**did**_come along. "Oi! Where did my adorable Jailbait go off to?"

"Ahead. Marik… can you drop the damn flirtation? She ain't even here!"

The blonde shrugged his shoulders and placed his arms over his head, a silence creeping between them. "Does that seriously bother you? I mean, come on. I'm just kidding."

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Oh yea, _kidding_! I could totally see that." Sarcasm laced every sound released from his mouth.

"What is your problem?"

"My problem?" He stopped in his place which Marik noticed and stopped as well, looking back at him. "_**My **_problem? My problem is with my best friend hitting on my little sister and I can't even tell whether or not he's joking anymore! Tell me right now, do you like her?"

Marik stared at him for the longest time, his eyes were as intense as Bakura's before humor leaked through his own and he chuckled. "Anyone ever tell you that you take things too serious? Honestly, you need to loosen up once in a while."

"Yes. Or. No." With each word, Bakura took a giant step closer to Marik until he was right in front of him.

The blonde couldn't look his friend in the eye and still tell him what he actually wanted to hear, or maybe he could. Maybe he could lie to his face, say he didn't like Mana any more than how a friend likes another friend. He could get away with that, but that damned scar of Bakura's. That was the true genius behind his terror. It was difficult to think, let alone talk while that was blatantly staring you dead in the face. "I think you need just a **tab bit** of anger management. But I'll humor you… I don't. And besides that, even if I did, what would you do about it?"

Bakura grinned devilishly. That alone answered Marik's question. "Alright, you wanna play dumb for now, go ahead. But here's the warning you're getting, go any farther than flirting and I promise you, you will get hurt," Bakura grabbed Marik the collar and pulled him close, "We good?"

Marik pushed him away and straightened up his shirt, almost wanting to laugh at his friend's threat. He practically said the same thing almost daily so this was virtually nothing new. Why should he have a reason to be scared? "Oh yeah, all good."

() () () () () () () () () ()

Mana reached the parking lot, finding it fairly empty but did spot a black Honda at the front and even better, there was the odd-haired teen she was meeting, leaning against it. She waved cheerfully and screamed. "YAMI!" It caught his attention and he looked up, giving a small nod that he noticed her, and she ran to him.

"You're late." He said as he put his phone away, obviously referring to the time.

"HA. HA. Not my fault my brother is slow in leaving."

"From the way you run, I would say it's your own fault."

"Are you ever _not_ horrible?"

"You want me to name the specific day?"

She raised her hand and lightly hit his shoulder, laughing for the fact that he was actually loosening up around her. Yami though, was merely happy he didn't have any injuries on his left arm otherwise that would have ticked him off a bit. "So…" Mana started nervously as she waved her arms back and forth, "why'd you want me to come this early?"

Yami bit his lip and stood up straight and tall, hiding his slight nervousness very well. "I wanted to talk actually. It's about my tutoring you-"

"I didn't forget about that! You have no idea how incredibly thankful I am for this, I mean… I don't think I would live it down if I failed. Especially in my first year." Mana laughed loudly and walked over to the car, leaning against it. "You don't mind, right? Oh, of course you don't. So you're gonna give me a ride after school, right?"

_This girl never shuts up, does she?_ Originally, he had meant to tell her not to come over but at this point it would have proven useless. If her parents were okay with it and so was she, then he could make it work. "Yes and… I would like it if you met me by the tennis courts directly after school."

"Why can't I meet you right here?" Mana asked curiously as Yami rolled his eyes. Instantly, he started walking away from his car which caused Mana to run after him. "Yami?" Mana took hold of his jacket which stopped him in his tracks. "Come on, it's called talking! Try it!"

"You told me you don't want Bakura or Marik finding out, right? They probably won't know you're going in the opposite direction, right?" The small smile, a feature she had just seen for the first time, was given to calm her eagerness. And oddly enough, it did. Mana let go of his jacket, not remembering whether or not he actually asked her to. "I'll see youin third period then." He whispered softly.

For some reason, Mana was strangely relaxed. Maybe it was knowing that Yami wasn't going to let her fail or that he wasn't openly showing his irritation toward her, but it was good. She wasn't really nervous over him.

And for once, Mana was looking forward to Trig.

() () () () () () () () () ()

The seconds ticked away.

Little by little, Yami watched the hands of the clock nip closer to three o'clock. Every movement reminded him about his session after school, with Mana.

Why was he so… anxious?

It might have been because it was the first time he had someone over in almost forever, or that it was…

_No, that's not it!_ Yami balled his hand up into a fist, trying to think of better reasons than the ones that ran through his mind over a thousand times. He didn't have much time as the bell rang in his earsand eagerly, the students bolted out of the class. Yami stood up as well and decided to slowly make his way to his car.

_Why am I going slow?_ He wondered in a daze. Maybe it was because he wanted to give her a chance to get to his car before him so he wouldn't have long to wait. Or perhaps the better reason was he didn't want to go.

He didn't want to go and wait for someone who wasn't going to show up. It made more sense to him than the first reason, that's what any reasonable person would do. Wasn't it?

By the time he reached the parking lot, he saw a strange sight indeed. And not the one he had expected.

() () () () () () () () () ()

Mana tapped her fingers against the car, silently happy that Yami didn't have a car alarm installed. _Hm, where is he? How long does it take to get out… come to think of it, what is his fourth period?_ Her phone suddenly sprang to life from a text message. Instantly, she flipped it over and saw it was from Marik.

_**Hey Jailbait, where r u? Kura says u tutoring w/Shizuka… tru?**_

She sighed heavily and texted back as quickly as she could, saying yes and not to disturb her for a while. Though after she sent it, she realized Bakura would've said the same thing. "Where is Yami?" she said loudly and turned in a huff, getting her answer. Happily, Mana waved at Yami who appeared to be in shock as he came closer to her. "There you are! You know, I was beginning to think you were ditching me. You weren't even talking to me in Trig, but then again I probably shouldn't have been talking _during_ the lesson, but oh well!"

Mana laughed uncomfortably as Yami still stared in surprise.

_She… actually came?_

Yami nodded and unlocked the car, letting Mana get inside at last. He walked around and opened his door, taking the driver's seat. "Wow, so how long have you had your license?"

"Just got it this summer." He started the car and backed up while Mana put on her seatbelt.

Mana nodded slowly, admiring how much of a good driver he actually was. "So is this one of your parent's cars?"

Yami snorted at the word 'parent's' but he kept himself together. "No, actually. My father bought me this as a surprise when school started up this year."

At this, Mana let out a small shriek which startled Yami slightly. "NO WAY! Your dad bought you a car right after you got your license? And a new one too? Damn, you really have an awesome dad! I mean, Bakura just got his license too, but my parents are making him walk everywhere because they both need their cars for work and refuse to buy him even a used car. I don't blame them at all, he'd probably crash it first chance he gets. And they won't let him drive any of the cars until he can pay for insurance too! I really hope I don't get the same treatment though…"

Yami raised a brow at Mana's constant talking. He didn't mind it this time since it wasn't _entirely _random at all. "Marik doesn't drive?"

Mana laughed outright at his statement. "Marik? DRIVE? That's not happening anytime soon, especially since he is literally **the** most accident-prone person when it comes to cars. I think he even tried to fix his brother's engine one time and it went BOOM! It was incredible!" She laughed even louder at the memory while Yami couldn't understand in the slightest. _Hm, I suppose she finds her boyfriend's troubles humorous… _ The drive continued, but the oddest thing was…

There wasn't any silence.

When Mana talked, Yami responded and even odder he asked her questions as well. There wasn't any awkward silence between them. "Hey, what is your fourth period?"

"Do you really need to know that?"

"Yes! I had to wait for a while! Either you walk incredibly slow, or your class is far away, so tell me."

A small chuckled escaped him as Yami realized one of her options was actually right but he wouldn't tell her that, otherwise that would ensue more of her never-ending questions. "Fourth period is Physics, but I sincerely doubt you know how far that class actually is from the parking lot so your question was pointless."

"No, it wasn't." Mana replied with the widest grin she could muster. "I know your fourth period now! So if anything, my question was brilliant!"

"Do you hear yourself sometimes?"

Mana nodded vigorously and giggled. "Of course I do! I'm not deaf because if I was, how would I be answering you right now? For someone who's smart, you can be very dumb." She slapped his shoulder playfully which made him twitch uncomfortably. Had Mana applied a little more force, it might have affected him in a less subtle manner.

Soon, they approached a neighborhood of big houses, one bigger and more extravagant than the next. Mana started out the window, surprised that Yami had was living in this type of luxury. _Wha… somehow, him getting his own car isn't such a far-fetched idea after all. I wonder which house is his…_ Mana got her question answered as Yami pulled up slowly to one of the larger houses of the block. She gawked slightly at the wide two-story house with a white exterior and red shingles on the roof. The lawn was well-kept and a luscious green, with a small fountain in the dead center. Yami pulled the car to a slow halt up on the driveway, Mana eagerly unbuckling and getting out of the car. By now, his nerves were frazzled. He shouldn't be having her over it was too late now. "Whah! Your house looks really nice!" Mana exclaimed as she continued to gaze. "Hey, come on! You ever gonna leave the car?" As to quiet her, he did come out and looked at the prison before him. He couldn't see what Mana was so amazed about, not in the slightest. Yami continued on to the front door with Mana trailing him. He unlocked the door and opened it as wide as it could go.

"Go on in." He muttered and Mana did just that. Already he heard her loud squeals about how nice his house looked and how it was much bigger than her own. _Still don't see what's so great about it…_

"So… where are we studying? Are we gonna stay down here or go upstairs or…" Mana stopped suddenly and blushed at what she said; her mouth did tend to run off with her sometimes.

Fortunately, Yami never noticed her embarrassment. "We'll be fine in the living room." He walked down the hall and Mana followed him, just admiring the decorations. His backpack slumped to the floor and pointed to the couch for Mana. "You can sit there; I'll get us some food." She nodded and went across the room, seeing the numerous amounts of pictures on the tables. All of which were of Yami at various ages. Mana giggled as she stared at the pictures. She hadn't known Yami for long, but she had never seen a smile on his face or something even similar to it. _Oh my gosh, he's adorable as a baby! _She stopped ogling the pictures and decided to sit down on the couch and wait. Although now, she felt uncomfortable and realized what kind of situation she was in.

Mana was at a guy's house.

At a guy's house alone.

Just the two of them.

Alone.

_NO! I refuse to be paranoid! I refuse to let my dad and Bakura get to me!_

As Mana continued her inner conflict, Yami came back with a bowl of something she couldn't see and two bottles of Ramuné. "I don't really know if you drink this type of stuff but here." He handed her a strawberry Ramuné and Mana happily took it.

"What's in the bowl?" Yami set that down on the table as well and Mana peeked in. "Oh! Gummy worms! My parents never let me have any… something about sugar and me don't mix. And Bakura always drinks the Ramuné before I get a chance to have any. So thanks!" She held up the bottle happily before pressing the marble down and taking a sip.

"Sure. So," Yami grabbed his backpack and sat down next to Mana, "what exactly are your problem areas?"

"My problem what?" Mana screeched suspiciously.

Yami raised a brow, not understanding why she seemed so touchy about his question. "For Trig. I need to know what you don't understand."

Mana chuckled nervously and blushed again for her awkward question. "Oh, right! Um, well… the easier question might be what I _do _understand." Yami rolled his eyes and took out the Trig book. She eyed the papers inside which were his notes and Mana's eyes practically bulged out. There were scribbles all over the page and it was incomprehensible writing, how was anyone supposed to understand it? "So… what are we gonna go through?"

"Since you just admitted to being a complete idiot, everything."

() () () () () () () () () ()

It was hell.

Mana truly did not understand the class she was failing, hence the reason she was failing.

He spent most of the afternoon annoyed by how many times he repeated the formulas to her until she finally understood what he was trying to say. But it wasn't too bad.

After all, she did get the current lesson they were on.

That was some progress.

6:00 pm came around and Yami drove her back, though Mana did seem a bit… odd about where to drop her off. "So exactly why do I have to drop you off five houses down?"

"My dad. He might be a little mean to you if he sees a guy dropping me off."

"You didn't tell him the gender of the person you were going to have tutoring with?" _Completely idiotic._

Mana shrugged her shoulders and decided not to answer, Yami didn't mind that. "Oh, I forgot to tell you but you are really adorable in those pictures. I know, weird thing to say but oh my gosh! You should smile more instead of having that 'Ugh, I will kill you' glare all the time." Yami's eye twitched at her description of the pictures since that was all he bothered to pay attention to. He didn't understand how a couple of fake smiles when he was younger were remotely adorable. If anything, those pictures were painful to look at. He remembered a good deal of them and he did not remember once where he was smiling not because he was told to. He slowed the car down and stepped out, going to the other side and opened Mana's door. "Well, thank you Yami. And I wanna thank you again for tutoring me and for putting up with my slowness."

"Hm." He nodded to her and suddenly bit his lip, unsure if he should even bother to say what he really wanted to say to her. "Mana, um… if you need more help, I mean, if you don't understand the upcoming lessons I can… well, help you out." This was new for him, very new actually. He really was inviting her over again, when he didn't have to.

Mana laughed.

Hard.

Instantly, Yami narrowed his eyes. _Why is she laughing?_ In the next instant, she slapped his arm while laughing. "Of course silly! I'm gonna come over every day! You are gonna be my tutor, Monday through Friday after school unless I'm busy of course. After all," Mana tapped Yami's nose which caused an odd tingle down his spine, "you are my Trig buddy."

… _does she… mean that?_

A buddy?

Really?

"Guess I better get inside now." As if she hadn't surprised Yami enough, Mana wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed against him into a tight hug. "Thanks again." She released him and started sprinting back home to avoid getting yelled at for being a minute late.

Yami stood there, completely fazed by what had happened.

Mana hugged him.

Because she wanted to.

He felt… weird, odd but in a good way. Tingles were running down his spine and a heat rushed into his chest, unsure of whether or not it was a good thing. One thing he was sure of though.

Yami was looking forward to tomorrow. Even if it meant dealing with an idiot freshman, it would be worth it to get this strange feeling back.

* * *

YIPPEE! I finally finished this chapter! I am soooooooo sorry for not updating sooner! I was dealing with depression problems after I finished chapter three and then when I finally got the will to write this, I got extremely busy so again, I apologize! But I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Now I gotta return to my Creative Writing and English homework. Review please! XD


	5. Chapter 5

Okays! I'm in such a good mood and I just mean it! I hate this heat though T_T So here's my attempts at fluff… which is odd considering the genres this story is under but still… I tried.

* * *

**Chapter Five**

Mana stared at Yami, completely forgetting the lesson that their teacher was giving. He was stone-faced, completely serious, not even a hint of interest in his eyes. Even though he was taking a barrage of notes, he didn't seem to be paying attention. Almost as though he were dislocating himself from where he was. _I wonder when he is __**not**__ serious. _She thought back to the pictures of him as a child and chuckled slightly; he did look pretty adorable when he smiled.

"Mana!" Her body shook as she turned and straightened up, not realizing the teacher's sharp tone. "Why don't you come up here and solve this?" Mana gulped and stood up, taking a slow nervous walk to the board and took the pen, shaking. Through the silence of the room she heard a muffled laughter that could only belong to Bakura. _Gee, what a supportive older brother! He should help me instead of laughing, damn prick…_

"Um… I don't really understand…" Some small giggling was heard throughout the class, but there was a small, irritated groan from the back. "Um…" She stared at it longer, realizing that Yami had taught her some of this lesson the previous night. Nervously, Mana started writing what she thought the work was and boxed in her answer. Before receiving any feedback, Mana marched back to her seat and sat back down, her eyes never looking up.

"Mana, you would be right but you forgot the negative." Mana perked up slightly, feeling proud that she even got that far. The teacher went on with the lesson while Mana turned to Yami for acknowledgment and recognition but instead, he wasn't looking her way.

A few minutes passed by before they were allowed to work on their homework. Mana looked up ahead and saw Bakura catching a few Z's. To her, it was safe to talk all she wanted to Yami. Very loudly, she turned her chair to his desk and propped her elbows on the top. He didn't eye her. "So Yami-"

"You are an idiot."

Mana let her head drop to the desktop and groaned loudly in frustration. "Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Because you haven't done a single thing to disprove it, thereby the statement is true. I go over the same exact problem with you and you were able to solve it pretty well. Did you just forget everything or not bother to listen to me?" His eyes glanced to the side and were nothing but anger. Was he… really **that** mad at her?

She sighed and decided to lift her head up from her desk, trying her hardest to maintain her anger though her control was practically non-existent. "Yami, you re-taught me the course in three and a half hours, how much did you expect me to remember? And besides, I was _close_ to getting the answer and that should be good enough for you. Honestly, loosen up." As an added point, Mana reached out and poked Yami's cheek.

Yami growled lowly and cast his stare downward to avoid her humorous gaze. "Just do your work." He responded lowly and went back to his homework, which looked more like a scrambled mess of numbers and figures than actual work. She laughed slightly and continued to stare at him, waiting to see a crack within his impenetrable wall of sternness. Instead though, she could see the annoyance that was built up in his crimson eyes lessen a bit, though only a bit. Mana bit her lip and tried to imagine Yami without the serious air about him, to see him relax in a way that would make him more agreeable to spend time with._ He really would look cute if he smiled…_ Without a single thought, Mana slowly reached her hand out and touched Yami's bangs softly.

Almost on reflex, he backed up in his chair as though she had stabbed him in the ribs with her pencil. His eyes were wide as could be with some sort of mixed emotions hidden in them. Judging from the color on his face though… it was rather clear on how he felt.

Embarrassed and angry.

"**What** were you doing?"

Mana blinked in confusion, not really knowing what was so weird about touching his hair. She often did that when she was bored to see people's reactions and Yami's was the most drastic one she had seen so far. "Um, touching your hair? Something wrong with that?"

"Don't touch my hair. At all. And stop staring at me. It's creepy and makes me uncomfortable." Yami hesitantly scooted back to his desk and again, avoided looking at her. "J-Just leave me alone."

Mana pouted and went back to her own desk, deciding very quickly that her short attention span would not work on completing the homework before the end of class, which was in two minutes.

_Hm, so he doesn't smile, is not okay with pokes and is __**definitely **__not okay with people touching his hair…_ A small amount of giggles escaped her before they turned into full on laughter; no one noticed how insane her laughter was because everyone was too engrossed in their own conversations to care.

Yami though… looked annoyed.

Or at least was trying to.

() () () () () () () () () ()

_Goddamn, she's a pest. No, maybe a pest is too __**strong**__… a brat maybe? Well, whatever I can say about her__,__ she's still an idiot._

"No way!" Mana yelped while raiding his fridge and cabinets to see what his food supply was. She had only been at his house for five minutes and he wasalready getting a headache.

How was that possible?

Yami watched as she grabbed the peanut butter and crackers, and was now scouring vigorously for a knife. "The one on your left." Mana turned and smiled, opening the drawer and saw the utensil she needed right there. "We're going to study in here."

"Why not in the living room like yesterday?"

"Because you have food."

"We had food over there yesterday and there was no problem then." Mana stated while pointing a plastic knife coated in peanut butter right to his face and accidentally getting some on his chin.

Yami narrowed his eyes while he wiped away the sticky substance from his chin. "Gummy worms don't leave stains. Slippery peanut butter does and I'd rather not make a mess." _The less stains around here, the better._

Mana sighed in defeat and walked over to a small table on the other side of the counter. Yami took the seat right next to her and wasted no time getting out his Trig book. "So you mind telling me why you were in such a **cheery** mood in class?" The words sarcastically left her mouth as she spread the peanut butter across the cracker and popped it in her mouth.

"… Hm, I thought we went over this already."

She scoffed; why were guys such idiots?

"No, we are not done with this yet." She shoved the knife into the jar and scooped out a large amount of peanut butter. Instead of putting it on a cracker, like usual, she took a bit of it on her fingers and licked it off from there to avoid double-dipping into the jar since she didn't know whether or not Yami was okay with it, nor did she want to know.

"Too bad, this is tutoring time so pay attention and maybe what happened in class won't happen again." Yami went on to explain the lesson that occurred in class in the same terms that the teacher had used. However, that only served to confuse Mana more, especially from looking at his notes which were a jumbled mess.

"How do you read these things? They are gibberish, I swear!"

He groaned lowly at her, but decided against expressing how much he was irritated. "Then tell what me what you don't get and don't you dare say 'everything', there has to be something _specific_."

Mana tried hard to specify exactly what she didn't understand, a task easier said than done since the entire course was from hell. It took her a few minutes but at last she thought of a concept or two. "Um, I guess absolute value inequalities and rational inequalities. Teach me those."

Yami stared at her, perplexed by her choice. He thought she would go for something harder such as properties or angles or anything else. _That's not… all that difficult…_ "Really?" She nodded quickly and that was all the confirmation that Yami needed. "Alright then," he spoke softly as he flipped through the pages, "I'll teach you."

He started with the examples in the book, going over each step twice to make sure Mana understood. From the look on her face, she did… sort of. The doubt was still visible in her eyes. Instead of trying to explain the examples of the book, he decided to use one of the problems from the homework. "We're going to go over this question together, step by step." He raised his arm over the chair and moved closer to her, their bodies closer to touching. Currently, he was too engrossed in the lesson to care about the distance between, but Mana wasn't.

As he droned on about which steps for her to do, Mana tried to keep her attention on the problem in front of her, but was drawn to the boy next to her. She could hardly look away from his face, how sharp his features were or how soft his eyes could be. Usually, they were only clouded with negative emotions, but now they were so focused. Nothing in the world could possibly distract him.

"Mana, do you have any questions so far?" He glanced over to her and now she realized how close his face was to her own. She shook her head and prayed that her face wasn't turning red. He turned back to the problem, resolving to ignore the idiot first year's behavior.

She was… surprised to say the least. He wasn't accusing her of not paying attention or insulting her in some way. He was… being nice. Mana smiled, though not the giant grin she was famous for, but a small one for managing to see a nicer side of the strange third year. In fact, she kind of preferred this calm and helpful side to the quiet strict one she saw on a daily basis. In an odd way, Yami seemed…

Sweeter.

Nicer.

Maybe cuter?

_No, he's always been this cu-… WHA? No, stay focused! Not on his eyes! Or face! Math! That is __**the **__focus, not the cute guy – GAH MANA! STOP THINKING HE'S CUTE!_ Mana yelled at herself mentally and sighed, her head drooping downward. Yami turned his head and finally noticed the… oddity of Mana's expression. "Are you alright?"

Abruptly, Mana lifted her head to his direction and immediately turned red at how close their faces were. Their noses barely a centimeter away from touching and their eyes locked. She could feel his soft breath on her face, the heat rushing further up to her cheeks. There was nothing coming to her mind, no words or responses to say to him. Her mind had turned to glue from Yami's unmoving intense gaze. She did not know how long they stayed like that before Yami cleared his throat loudly and moved back a bit, handing her a pencil. "Why don't you try the problem by yourself? I'll be right back." Mana nodded and took the pencil from him, now turning back to the book and refused to look back at Yami who was leaving the room.

() () () () () () () () () ()

Yami walked briskly over to the bathroom and locked himself inside, taking deep breaths while burying his face in his hands as he slid down the floor. _What… was that?_ He didn't understand what had just happened to him.

One minute he was tutoring Mana and the next… he wasn't even focusing on the book, but her instead. For a moment, he even forgot what he was trying to teach her. Yami was unsure of why he stared at her or why he did not look away or why he felt the slightest bit of embarrassment from it. It was the same as when she touched his hair back at class earlier, the same emotion.

What was it?

This feeling that filled him was foreign, nerve-wrecking, made him uncomfortable; as though everything in him was an open book. It was… weird to say the least. It was similar to the feeling of the hug she gave him earlier, was that the feeling friends had?

This… strange warmth that ran through his chest?

It both pleasured and pained him; why did he feel so affected by a simple look?

_Damn her… that idiot… _He sunk his head between his knees and remembered what Mana said to him the other night after he took her home: _**"You are my Trig buddy."**_

Buddy.

She called him buddy, as though they were friends. This was a feeling of friendship, right? Yami was so out of place with this feeling for so long, he had forgotten of how… comforting it was. "No… it's not." Yami muttered softly. "**Trig** buddy, she just needs to ace this class… that's it. Just picking my brain, that's all. She wouldn't be here otherwise." He reminded himself and the warmth began to pain him.

"Damn it…"

() () () () () () () () () ()

Mana pounded her head on the table over and over again, trying to knock the common sense back into her brain. _Idiot! You are an idiot Mana! Oh my God, the jerk is just supposed to tutor me, not distract me with his – NO! STOP THINKING THAT MORON!_ Day two of tutoring and already things were going bad. He was probably in the other room thinking of ways to kick her out or cancel these sessions they were going to have because of her inability to pay attention.

She was too easily distracted.

And by her own tutor no less.

Well, his looks anyways.

Honestly, now that she thought about it… beyond Yami's looks, she didn't know much about him. _So great, not only am I ungrateful__**,**__I'm shallow too. Wonderful. Wait, so maybe if I just put all my energy and attention on the subject, then I won't get distracted by Yami and he won't get mad at me and make me leave! It's perfect!_

Suddenly, Mana felt a new surge of energy rush through her. It was her own firm resilience and she was sure to go through with it. Immediately, she started in on the problems before her, trying to hardest to interpret Yami's notes and the book's directions as well as dig through her brain. Slowly, the block between her and Trig was fading.

It was… making sense?

Not complete sense, but some!

And for her, some was better than none!

In her little daze, Mana hadn't noticed the footsteps that were approaching behind her or that they had stopped behind her either. In a rush, she stood up and yelped loudly. "YAMI, I GOT-" She stopped, hearing a loud groan behind her. She turned slowly and saw that she accidentally rammed the chair back into Yami's stomach and watched him sink down to one knee in pain. "OH MY GOD, ARE YOU OKAY? I'm so sorry!" Her eyes rose in panic as she rushed over to him.

"I'm… ugh, fine. Just fine…" He bit his lower lip harshly, trying to contain the pain his stomach was screaming back to him. Mana held out her hand to help him up, but he refused to take it. Eventually, Yami gradually stood up to his own feet and appeared not to be in pain anymore. "What um, were you yelling for?"

Mana laughed awkwardly and went back to the table, picking up the paper she was working on. "Look! I did five problems all on my own! Did I… do it right?"

Yami took the paper from her and glanced over each problem, seeing lots of erased markings, but mostly correct work with the right answers. "You… did this by yourself, right? You didn't look in the back for the answers or anything?" She nodded and placed her hands behind her back, fiddling with them nervously. He then did something that was rather unexpected; he smiled. Though it wasn't technically a smile if only one corner of his mouth twitched upward for a few seconds. "Good then. Um, how about we take a break for about 10 minutes then we can start on the homework? Agreeable?"

"Yea, that's good with me!" Yami walked past her and went to fridge, grabbing two strawberry Ramuné bottles in the process. He turned back and didn't see her. Holding the bottles, he walked around further until he saw her in the living room, randomly searching around.

"Hey, what are you doing?" He asked as he walked over to her and handed her the bottle.

She shrugged. "Just um… looking around. Hey, why don't you give me a tour of your house?" He raised a brow suspiciously at her. "Well, I mean if I'm going to be coming over here for a while I might as well know my surroundings, right?"

Yami still stared, not convinced of Mana's reasoning at all as he pressed down on the marble which made a loud pop. "I don't think there would be any reason for you to see the rest of my house… at all."

Mana suddenly and magically appeared at his side, hugging or rather crushing his arm against her chest while begging like a petulant child. "Oh come on! I wanna tour! Please! Pretty please with… gummy worms and… whatever other type of foods you like on top?" Again, he felt the odd sensation of lashing out at her for behaving like a… well, idiot to say the least.

"Fine." He gave in with no fight; he just wasn't in the mood to argue with her. Something about her just made it difficult to do so. "Well obviously, this is the living room." Mana gave a fake gasp of shock amazement before laughing.

He escorted her around, showing her what every room was and it was odd how many rooms there were exactly which seemed… unnecessary. There was a study, a library, two guest rooms and other rooms which didn't seem to have a purpose. "That room at the end of the hall is my father's room; we're not going in there." Mana nodded, understanding why.

"And this room?" She pointed to the one on their left which Yami seemed not to notice. "What's in there?"

Yami appeared almost hesitant to answer her, but gave in. "That is um… that's my room."

Mana's eyes grew with interest. "Really? Could I see?" She blurted out without thinking and suddenly looked downward, blushing at the perverted sounding question.

He almost wanted to laugh at her; Mana was apparently that funny of a sight to behold. The curiosity was still in her eyes while regret and shame muddled across her face, the red tint on her cheeks was the cherry on top completely. Actually, it was rather odd to him how Mana had a bit of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ideal going on about her. At school, she was always talking his ear off while elsewhere she was… rather quiet. A very odd sort of thing, he had to admit. "Maybe next time, we have to get back to studying."

() () () () () () () () () ()

"GOD FUCKING DAMN IT!"

"HA! YOU SUCK AT THIS!"

"SHOVE IT JACKASS!"

"UP YOURS!"

Marik and Bakura screeched at the top of their lungs as they were engrossed in their fighting game. For the past two hours, they had done nothing except fight continuously about who was winning at what point.

"SON OF A BITCH! I told you not to use that fucking combo!" Bakura complained as he attempted to counter-attack.

Currently, Bakura was losing.

"HA! Deal with it dumbass!" Marik was enjoying himself thoroughly; not only was Bakura losing, but he was losing _**badly**_. Definitely, he had caused major ego damage to Bakura – his day couldn't get better.

Suddenly, the door was opened swiftly by none other than Mana who had a somewhat annoyed look. "Mom says to shut up all the yelling or she won't feed you."

Marik smiled; a humiliated Bakura and Mana here scolding him… life really was good. "Hey, come on in! Watch me beat the shit outta him!" He waved his hand to motion her in and Mana smiled, closing the door behind her and skipping her way over between Bakura and Marik.

"So," Bakura began in an almost robotic voice while his eyes were intently focused on the TV screen, "how was tutoring with Shizuka?"

Mana shrugged and smiled, almost wanting to laugh right then and there. "Good. We got a lot of work done." Bakura nodded and continued on with the game. For the next few minutes, no one spoke besides the occasional outburst of curses from the boys. Mana watched on with the game and was greatly amused by engrossed they could get within seconds. She was getting bored though while watching them and decided to leave them to their exploits. "Try not to get your ass creamed too badly Bakura." Mana said sweetly before leaving and barely managed to avoid the pillow that was thrown in her direction.

Now she thought about what to do to keep herself occupied. Bakura and Marik were in la-la land and she didn't feel like bugging her parents all too much, maybe she would call up Shizuka. _Yea… that'll be fun._

Once in her room, Mana took out her cell and clicked on the 'call' button for Shizuka. "Come on, answer." She mumbled under her breath several times before the line picked up.

"_Hello?_"

Mana smiled. "Hey Shizuka, it's me. I'm bored, wanna talk?"

"_So you only call me when you're bored? That's great; it's nice to know I have some purpose in your life._" They laughed a little. "_OH! How's what's-his-face doing? Did your __**tutoring**__ go well?_"

Mana had to laugh at the tone Shizuka was using, the suggestiveness was impossible not to find humor in. "Well yes, it is. I have a small chance of passing the class, it's a miracle! Also, could I tell you something?"

"_Huh, what? Yea, sure!_" Now she sounded eager and was ready to listen to whatever Mana had to say.

"… um, well… I didn't expect this but I really think he is…"

"_Think he's what?_"

Mana shrugged her shoulders and laid back on her bed, staring at her ceiling while trying to find some obscure shape. "It's weird but I think he's shy. Like, extremely."

There was silence on the other end and Mana could almost visualize Shizuka rolling her eyes. "_Shy? First he's hot, then he's a prick, then he's an okay guy and now he is shy. How'd you come to __**that**__ conclusion?_"

She bit down on her bottom lip and chuckled lowly. "I uh, touched his hair in Trig and **before** you say **any**thing – I was sorta spacing out and I tend to touch hair when I do that." Mana let out a nervous laugh and was surprised to hear that Shizuka wasn't interrupting her; a sure sign that she could continue. "And his face turned _incredibly_ red, it was actually kinda cute really. And then when we got to his place, oh my gosh!" She turned over and squealed into her blanket, her face turning a slight tinge of red.

Shizuka though, wasn't sure on what to say to her. "_Um… oh my gosh means… what exactly? Like, 'oh my gosh' or '__**OH **__my gosh', you need to be specific here. In fact, no. I. Want. Details. Now-ish."_

Mana groaned and lifted her head from her blanket, trying to conjure up words to explain how the situation went but was at a loss. It was a weird experience to say the least; one that couldn't be entirely defined. "I… don't know what to tell you."

An aggravated groan was screeched through the line. "_So something __**DID**__ happen! You wouldn't be acting this weird otherwise! But come on, you guys haven't been __**studying**__ long at all! Usually, this kind of-_"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Nothing happened, not even close to something. I just had a spazz moment and jerked him in the gut with a chair, not much else. Geez girl, what kind of stuff were you thinking of?"

"_Uh-huh, suuuure. Well, I gots to go now, dinner's ready. So whenever you decide to tell me whatever __**really**__ happened, my phone's always on. Just don't call me at some insane hour._"

"Bye then."

"_Bye-byes._"

The click was heard and Mana put her phone down and stared at her wall, feeling both relieved and burdened by not telling Shizuka about the strange scene between her and Yami. She didn't know what to make of it; she only knew that Yami wasn't as bad of a guy as she thought he was. Maybe he was just shy, maybe he wasn't just good with people, and maybe he really wasn't used to people actually showing an interest in him.

Actually, once she thought more about it… Mana knew little to nothing about him. All she heard was from Bakura and Marik, all negative of course. _Let's see… psycho and unstable, at least to them. He's obviously a smart guy, sorta mean though. Really quiet and keeps to himself._ Mana tried to go further, trying to remember on any little details that could reveal a bit more of his personality, but couldn't find much. Yami was a reserved person; in fact only after his outburst did he start being civil towards her. _So he feels guilty? That's why he's deciding to be nice to me?_ She groaned again and sat up, growing more confused at the thought of the third year.

Suddenly, she recalled the girl she saw him with and wondered about her. He denied being in Domino and having a girlfriend, but it had to be him. There were no such things as doppelgangers and that was a stupid theory anyway… Was he, hiding it? Hiding the fact that he was in a relationship?

_No, that's stupid. And with his poor communication skills, it would be a damn miracle for him to even ask a girl out. But still, what's his deal? I just… I wanna know._

() () () () () () () () () ()

"Alright, so after this step you…"

"Factor?" Mana said with uncertainty radiating within her voice,but saw Yami nodding to her in agreement; finally she was doing something right. With that step done, Mana continued on with the problem and finished it within another minute. "So… am I doing better?"

Yami shrugged. "A little, you still mess up on the order for the unit circle but it's nothing a little memorization couldn't help."

She smiled at him and nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "So I'm not an idiot after all, eh? Don't answer that, please! I'd rather not know." Mana laughed and saw no reaction from him at all. Her lips made a small pout as she leaned against his arm with her back and laid down on the couch. "Hope you don't mind, eh of course you don't. So, could I ask you something?"

He suppressed the urge to push the annoying girl off his arm; he despised the extra weight but figured she was comfortable there just as she was. Surprisingly enough, he was starting to get used to her. For the past month, she had been coming over daily for tutoring and was improving… slightly. As of late, he didn't mind her using him as a pillow, as she so dubbed him. "You already asked me one, but I'll humor you. Go on ahead."

"… What are your parents like?" Yami gasped at that question, not expecting that at all. "I mean, I see some pictures of your dad around here but I never hear you mention him and I don't really see or hear anything about your mom. What are they like? Are they like, strict or nice? What kind of people are they? What do they like to do or something like that? So come on," Again, she elbowed his ribs, "give."

His eyes stared down at his book before he shut it, finally deciding to give into Mana's ridiculous question. He pushed up his arm, a motion for her to sit up instead of laying on him. "Um, my father is head surgeon at Tanemura Hospital. He's pretty strict, just about grades and stuff like that. He's not home a lot because of his job, works odd hours. Not much to say about him really." The less he had to talk about his dad, the better. He enjoyed his time from him, especially now since he had a good distracter, Mana of course.

She nodded a bit. "Well, what about your mom?"

His eyes narrowed with anger at the simple question and he spat out the words bluntly. "She's dead."

Mana's eyes grew wide with regret for asking such a personal question. From the look in his eyes, she assumed he was furious with her for bringing up such a painful subject. Though she did find it odd that she could see no hint of love in his eyes at all, not even a hint of grief when he mentioned her death. "I-I'm sor-"

"Don't. I don't want nor need to hear it. Just… don't bring it up again."

"I really am-"

"What did you get on the test?" Yami quickly changed the subject, catching Mana by surprise. "You know, the test from yesterday... the one that practically lowered everyone's grades…" He elaborated further and could plainly see her discomfort.

Mana laughed nervously and tried not to look at him. "Um, I didn't fail it."

"Mana." He spoke with a hint of impatience.

She sighed. "I got a 70."

He narrowed his eyes, more annoyance building up if anything else. "How is possible you get a 70 when you seem to be understanding the homework?" Mana shrugged and held a guilty expression over her eyes. Yami though, was more perplexed than anything. He had seen all her homework grades, all were perfect scores or close to them.

What was he doing wrong?

Or rather, what was _she_ doing?

"Like I said, I didn't fail it and a 70 is passing. So what's the matter?" Mana spoke and tried to end the topic right there, but Yami unfortunately decided to be persistent.

"Do you study the night before at all? Or at least look over the notes? Or do you just wing it?" The last words practically spat out of his mouth, the emotion in his eyes equally matching his tone of voice now.

Now Mana was just as angry and annoyed as Yami, perhaps more due to the fact that he had just plainly insulted her. Hastily, Mana gripped onto Yami's long blonde bangs and pulled them downward with enough strength to bring him down as well. "I don't **wing** tests, you moron! And for your information, I **DO** study!"

He of course, was not amused. His crimson eyes flared with contempt while trying to hold down the embarrassment from finding its way to his features. Quickly, his fingers gripped onto her hand and attempted to release his hair from her iron grip. "Mana, let go of my hair!" The task now was deemed near impossible without hurting her.

"Not until you apologize!" His ears screamed in agony; her voice truly was a screeching torture device.

"I can't apologize while you're pulling my hair out from my scalp, now **LET. GO.**" Though his voice was lower, the tone turned enflamed and rather deep, carrying an authoritarian sense as well. Mana hesitantly loosened her hold on Yami's hair, her fingers still held tightly within his own. His eyes were held downward, away from her own and more calm than moments ago. "I… I am sorry then. I shouldn't have insinuated that you don't study or whatever. But I told you already, do **not** grab my hair or touch me." At last, he remembered that their fingers were still intertwined and let go immediately. "Why do you insist on provoking me?"

Mana laid back down on the couch, slouching and fiddling around with her hair. "I'm not provoking, it's not my fault that you're extremely sensitive to… well, anything. And I accept your apology." She finished with a smile and sneaked a poke to Yami's ribs, one he wasn't happy to receive. But still, he appeared to have concern as to why her test scores weren't matching her homework grades and Mana could tell. She sighed and decided to talk. "I'm always like this, it's not that I'm not trying or anything but I just get nervous during the test and I just… forget, which obviously… yea, turns out bad. So no, it's not because you're a bad tutor or that I'm a complete idiot, even though I'm sure you would _**love**_ to think that, I just have no confidence during tests."

He snorted in disbelief and mumbled something which sounded like his favorite nickname for her.

_Idiot._

But still, he knew better than to keep insulting her. He liked having his hair stay on head, attached. "Well then, you'll have to fix that. Immediately. I refuse to continue to tutor someone who _**barely **_passes the tests." Mana sneered at him before going back to her previous position of using his arm as a pillow.

"So can I ask another question? _Besides_ this one, obviously." Yami glanced and nodded slightly, thought hoping it wasn't going to be a personal question like before. "How come… you don't really talk with anyone at school?"

_Hn, I hoped for too much after all._

"I mean, why do you keep to yourself? You're a pretty nice guy… when you actually talk without spouting insults. Bakura sorta explained-"

Yami cut her off with a low chuckle of disbelief at the mere mention of her brother's name. "Explained? Ha. Just because he happened to see something a couple of years ago doesn't mean he actually knows the full story. If anything, you shouldn't believe anything Scarface tells you." Mana bit her bottom lip as she tugged the sleeve on his arm, wanting a real answer for once. "Stop tugging my arm."

"No."

"Mana-"

"Just tell me, please! I swear I will shut up after this!"

… _Tempting offer really._ With a heavy sigh, Yami caved in. Not because of Mana's little promise which he knew was one she would never follow through with but because she would ask later anyways. But… he didn't want to explain. Not fully. In fact, not even a bit. None of it was her business, why did she want to know at all? "I just… don't. I've always kept to myself and I guess it's gotten worse over the years. I don't like socializing really; it's a… difficult task. I have to honestly work at it and it's too much work."

She snickered at his remarks, not understanding what he meant at all. "You socialize just fine with me, dummy."

Yami then, made one sudden move of his arm and her head fell onto his lap none too softly. He glared down at her with a mixer of humor and annoyance in his eyes. "No, you're just a persistent idiotic first year that never leaves me alone. Trying **not** to talk to you is the equivalent of ignoring a broken bone. It can't be done." Even though Mana should have seen that as an insult, she didn't. In his own way, he had just admitted to her that he couldn't stop talking to her even if he tried. It actually made her feel sort of nice.

Suddenly, Mana felt a persistent pulse below her and she lifted herself from her spot to get away from it. Yami felt it too and reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. His eyes practically bulged out of his head once he saw his father's number. Hesitantly, he pressed the call button and lifted the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"_Yami, I'll be home very soon so you might as well start dinner now."_

He gulped and glanced over at Mana. "How soon is soon?"

It seemed to be almost forever to Yami before he finally answered. "_Within the hour I suppose. I shall see you in a bit._" With that, he hung up. Yami's arm slowly dropped down to the couch and continued to stare over at Mana.

Though she could not understand his expression that he had taken on. "Um, Yami? Something… wrong?"

Yami shook his head swiftly and stood up, a slight panic running over his voice and features. "Nothing, nothing at all. Hey, it's getting late. I should get you home now." He grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her up from the couch.

"Late? I only got here an hour ago, what are you talking about?" He pushed her aside and grabbed her backpack, stuffing some of her papers back in as well as her book. "Yami-" She couldn't continue on with that she wanted to say as Yami shoved her bag to her and grabbed her wrist, dragging her to the front door.

Mana though, was planning on getting answers even if Yami wanted to be difficult. She pulled back roughly making him step back a few steps. "YAMI!" Her voice practically pierced his eardrums and he stopped, now giving her the attention she wanted. "Why. Do I. Have. To go. Now?" The words came out of her mouth bit by bit with a sharp and impatient tone.

He could not tell her.

_She wouldn't understand._

He would not tell her.

_What… do I say?_

A lie was the answer; but what lie was the question. It had to be simple, nothing extravagant. Then again, would she believe him? "My father is coming home and he… doesn't like… having people over he doesn't know, personally."

_Stupid lie._

A sly smile sneaked its way onto her lips. "Then I should stay; he'll know me _then_."

What to say now? Clearly, his lie did not work. Would he resort to telling her that he never told his father about her coming for tutoring?

No.

The only thing that would accomplish was hurting her and as much as he hated to admit it, he had grown accustomed to her annoying daily presence. It made some days bearable. "He'll come to the wrong conclusion."

"No, remember. I'm here for tutoring." Mana remarked back quickly; Yami needed to think faster.

"He tends to forget." The look of disbelief on her face was all the evidence he needed to convince him that she didn't believe a word he spewed. Yami needed her out; fast. He tried pulling at her wrist again but she pulled back with the same force, all the while not showing how much pain her wrist was in. Forcing her out wasn't going to work; what would?

A panic rushed through him. His father would come home to find Mana there. Never mind the fact that she was younger than him or alone in the house, but going behind his father's back and keeping secrets… The color on his face drained. He dared not think of the consequences he would suffer through.

Mana stared at Yami's changing expression, baffled by what was happening. In just a minute or so, Yami had changed from a flustered rush mess to as white as a ghost – his eyes turning more hollow by the second. Did he… want her to leave _that_ badly?

"Please Mana," his voice was low and hoarse, "you have to go home. Now. Please." The pleading tone got to her, she never thought Yami would appear so desperate but he was. But why?

Was his father so strict about rules?

"Alright, I'll go home." She couldn't take that empty glare anymore; she'd rather him yelling at her than pleading. Yami's eyes lit up a bit, happily relieved to hearing her finally agreeing to leave. He released her wrist and opened the front door, walking out instantly with Mana following behind him. Mana stared down at her wrist, Yami's fingers still holding an imprint against her skin.

She was probably mistaken but… she could have sworn he was shaking as he held her.

Perhaps his father really was strict.

() () () () () () () () ()

Later that night, Yami dropped down on his bed ready to collapse. His head ached so terribly and his body was sore again, but at least… he had a reason to feel contented for once. He managed to get Mana home in time. His father didn't know yet about her coming over for tutoring sessions.

Not even an inkling.

He buried his face into his pillow; waiting for sleep to come until an annoying vibrating pulse rampaged on his night stand. Yami groaned and grabbed it, seeing it was a text from Mana. A frown cascaded upon his face as he opened up the message but inside, he felt a bit of warmth.

_**Yami! U so owe me! For makin me leave early, ur takin me out for some frozen yogurt on Sat. NO arguing! AND ur gonna start givin me rides to skool too! Again, NO arguing! So ha! XD**_

_... what?_

Yami didn't particularly understand what he had just read.

Was Mana seriously asking… to spend more time with him?

After he had kicked her out?

… _WHAT?_

He was… confused.

Though happy as well.

Yami wasn't sure if this was normal; if it was normal to actually be anticipating seeing her smiling at him and bothering him to no end, then was welcoming the normalcy.

The confusion that filled his head though, about _why_ he was so happy... he could surely live without that.

* * *

AGH! Why did this chapter take so fudging long to finish? But I did it! So yea, hope y'all enjoyed the YamixMana moments here and there's more to come, I promise! Along with… other stuff too ;) EEK, I got this up in time for my sister's b-day too! YAY! Review please! XD


End file.
